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Published by Capn_Ragnar, 2023-02-02 22:08:58

D&D - ODD - Premium Editions, Books 1-7

D&D - ODD - Premium Editions, Books 1-7

Keywords: DnD,Dungeons & Dragons,OD&D,TSR,TTRPG

Index MEN & MAGIC Characters ..........................................................................................................1 Levels and Number of Experience Points Necessary to Attain Them ....................................................................4 Statistics Regarding Classes ..................................................................................6 Hit Location During Melee ....................................................................................7 Damage — Monster Type ...................................................................................13 MONSTERS & TREASURE Monsters ..........................................................................................................14 Monster Descriptions..........................................................................................16 New Magic & Treasure ......................................................................................25 UNDERWORLD & WILDERNESS ADVENTURES Temple of the Frog .............................................................................................28 Underwater Adventures ......................................................................................48 Underwater & Sailing Encounter Matrices ...................................................................................................49 Specialists ........................................................................................................50 Disease ............................................................................................................52


1 Men & Magic CHARACTERS: (Additions) There are two additional sub-classes of characters: Monks (Order of Monastic Martial Arts), a sub-class of Clerics which also combines the general attributes of Thief and Fighting-Man. Assassins, a sub-class of Thieves CLERICS: Characters with a wisdom score of not less than 15, who also have a strength score of not less than 12 and a dexterity score of not less than 15 may elect to become monks. Only humans may become monks. Members of the Order seek both physical and mental superiority in a religious atmosphere. Members of the Order may be of any alignment, although they are usually lawful (75%, 20% being neutral and 5% chaotic). Monks must treat treasure as do paladins. Although they may use absolutely no armor, they may use weapons of any sort whatsoever, and when using weapons they add a damage bonus of one-half point for each level they have attained up to a maximum of eight additional damage points, i.e. an 8th-level monk adds 4 damage points when he hits with a weapon, a 10th-level adds 5 points, etc. When fighting without any weapons monks gain two great bonuses: 1. any score 25% (5 or better) above the minimum required for a hit has a 75% chance of stunning the opponent for from 3–12 turns and a 25% chance of killing the opponent. 2. damage otherwise done is determined on a special table (see STATISTICS REGARDING CLASSES), and monks of higher levels may make multiple attacks during a melee round (see STATISTICS REGARDING CLASSES) — for example if a Grand Master (6th level) is fighting without weapon against an opponent whose dexterity is not of the highest or who is not magically aided the monk will attack twice for each attack his opponent is allowed. Monks also have other abilities of a specialized nature: Surprise: At 3rd level monks are surprised only on a roll of 1 in 6, at 5th level only 1 in 8, and at 7th level and above only 1 in 10. Note, however, that extremely silent creatures will double surprise possibilities, i.e. halflings, thieves, bugbears, and undead double possibilities. Opening Locks: Same as a halfling thief. Remove Traps: Same as a dwarven thief. Listening: Monks have the same listening ability as thieves. Climbing: Monks have the same climbing ability as thieves of the corresponding level with the following important difference: At 5th level monks may fall up to 20’ without sustaining any damage if there is a wall or similar surface within 2’ which they can use for friction to break the fall. At 8th level monks may fall up to 40’ if the wall is within 4’. At 11th level they may fall any distance if the wall is within 6’. Move Silently/Hide in Shadows: Monks have the same ability as halfling thieves. Moving Silently: Monks have the same ability as thieves. Other Abilities: At the 4th level monks may speak with animals, and at the 8th level they may speak with plants.


2 At the 5th level monks may perfectly simulate death — to the stopping of the heart and lowering of body temperature. To be controlled for a duration of time = to a six sided die × level for the number of full turns. At the 6th level monks can control their minds to such an extent that ESP has only a 10% chance of success, and for each level above the 6th gained by the monk the chance for success drops 1%. At 7th level monks are able to heal once per day 2–7 points of damage sustained upon their body, and for each level above 7th monks add another point to possible damage healing, so that at 8th level a monk heals 3–8 points, at 9th 4–9, at 10th 5–10, at 11th 6–11, and so on. At the 8th level suggestion and hypnosis have no effect upon monks. At 10th level monks have the equivalent of an 18 intelligence with regard to the effects of telepathy against them. They are also no longer subject to normal Quests and Geases. At 13th level monks gain the terrible “Quivering Palm” usable once per week. This is the ability to attune bodily vibrations to those of any creature, and upon laying his palm upon the creature the monk can cause it to die upon command. This ability is limited as follows: The creature affected must have no more hit dice than the monk (treat +1’s on monks’ hit dice as no addition to hit dice, but they may be used to equalize similar +1’s which are possessed by the victims); the command may be withheld up to one day for each level the monk using the Quivering Palm has attained, and beyond the specified time the command will have no effect. Saving Throws: Monks are treated as clerics with regard to saving throws with the following important exceptions: Missile hits may be dodged if the monk makes his saving throw against Death Ray or Poison, and magic missiles of any sort may be dodged if the saving throw versus Staves & Spells is made. All other attacks which involve saving throws have no effect upon the monk if he makes the saving throw, and at the 8th level even failure to make a saving throw results in the monk sustaining one-half the possible damage.


3 Magic: Monks have no magical abilities per se. Besides magical weaponry, monks may only use rings and those miscellaneous magic items usable by thieves. Potions and scrolls may not be used. Armor: Although monks wear no armor, their physical training enables them to ward off and otherwise avoid many attacks, thus effectively gaining protection similar to armor. This ability grows as the monk progresses as indicated on the table shown hereafter (see STATISTICS REGARDING CLASSES). Followers: Monks may never have any followers or hirelings until they attain 6th level. Thereafter they may have the number of followers indicated by their charisma score plus 1 additional follower for each level the monk has attained; however, all followers must be either monks or ordinary fighting-men (no Paladins, Rangers, elves, dwarves, etc.). They can have no followers of higher level than one beneath their own. They cannot have followers who are monks of some different Order. They may have no hirelings on a permanent basis, although hirelings for single missions or for very short durations are allowed. THIEVES: Under special circumstances and in large campaigns it is possible to allow the character of the assassin. Only humans will become assassins. Assassins are always neutral. The prime requisites of the assassin are dexterity (minimum of 12 or better) and strength (minimum of 12 or better) and intelligence (minimum of 12 or better). All assassins are part of the Assassins’ Guild. Besides performing their evident role they may also serve as thieves, although their ability is two levels less than that of an actual thief of the same level. They are limited to the wearing of leather armor, but they may use shields as well as any weaponry they choose (including magical weapons of any sort). Assassins may have no followers until they attain the rank of Guildmaster. They may have no more hirelings than their charisma score indicates for the number of followers another character type may have. As Guildmaster they may have up to 50 “followers” (members of the Guild), but such followers must be hired at 1st level and worked up. Magic: Assassins function as regards to thieves in all regards with respect to magic except for weaponry. Disguise: Assassins are masters of disguise. They are able to assume the dress and manners of other classes, or even pose as someone of the opposite sex. There is only a 5% chance that an assassin will be recognized when in disguise, 10% if the assassin is posing as a member of the opposite sex. Disguise checks should be made daily. Modify the chance downward by 1% for each 1 point in combined intelligence and wisdom below 20 which the intended victim has, i.e. a victim with a combined intelligence/wisdom score of 18 has only a 3% chance of detecting the assassin. For every combined intelligence/wisdom point above 24 the intended victim has a ½% better chance of detecting the disguise, dropping all fractions, so an intended victim with an intelligence/wisdom score of 31 has an 8% chance of spotting the assassin (31 — 24 = 7 × ½% = 3½% = 3% with dropped fraction of ½%). Languages: Assassins with an intelligence of 16 or more are able to speak one additional alignment language (Law or Chaos), and if the assassin has an 18 or better intelligence both other alignment languages may be spoken; i.e. if Neutral, can learn Lawful and Chaotic. Poison: An assassin may freely use poisoned weapons, but there is a 50% chance each turn such a weapon is displayed that any person in viewing range of it (10’ or less) will recognise the poisoned item and react with ferocity, i.e. attack with a +4 chance of hitting and +4 points of damage when hitting occurs. If a poison substance is insinuated into food or drink it is generally assumed that the assassin must create the opportunity to perform this action — either through proximity to the item by means of employment or through disguise. This area must


4 be handled by the referee. Details of poison types will be handled in some future supplement when alchemists are fully covered. Cost: The cost per mission as shown in Book III of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is based upon the hiring of a 6th-level assassin (Dacoit). Reduce this amount for the fee payable to a lower level assassin by 250 gold pieces for each level below 6th; double the fee for every level above 6th, i.e. a 7th-level assassin costs 4,000 gold pieces, an 8th-level 8,000, a 9th-level 16,000, a 10th-level 32,000, an 11th-level 64,000, a 12th-level 128,000, a 13th-level at 256,000, and the Guildmaster will work for no less than 512,000 gold pieces per assassination. 10% of the fee for any assassination goes to the Guildmaster, all if he performs the mission personally. Experience: Besides gaining experience in the normal way, assassins also gain experience for successful assassinations; thus, if a fee is paid and the mission completed the assassin gains experience equal to 90% of the gold pieces paid, plus the experience points for the level of the assassinated victim, adjusted for the level of the assassin. [Use Exp. Points for Killing Monsters table, calculating on hit die. Ex. — 4th-level assassin kills 5th-level M.U. — base value 175 points + 125 points × 2 for special ability. Assassin gain 425 points × 5/4 = 551 points.] Guildmaster: Any 12th-level assassin (Prime Assassin) may challenge the Guildmaster of the Assassins’ Guild to a duel to the death, and if the former is victorious he becomes Guildmaster. The Guildmaster may build a stronghold or control a “Barony.” LEVELS AND NUMBER OF EXPERIENCE POINTS NECESSARY TO ATTAIN THEM: (Addition) Monks Assassins Novice 0 Apprentice 0 Initiate 2,500 Killer 1,500 Disciple 5,000 Murderer 3,000 Immaculate 10,000 Slayer 6,000 Master 25,000 Cutthroat 12,000 Grand Master 50,000 Dacoit 24,000 G.M./Dragons 100,000 Thug 48,000 G.M./North Wind 200,000 Executioner 100,000 G.M./West Wind 300,000 Assassin 175,000 G.M./South Wind 450,000 Senior Assassin 275,000 G.M./East Wind 600,000 Expert Assassin 400,000 G.M./Winter 850,000 Chief Assassin 550,000 G.M./Autumn 1,100,000 Prime Assassin 750,000 G.M./Summer 1,400,000 Guildmaster of Assassins — G.M./Spring 1,750,000 G.M./Flowers 2,500,000 Monks: The Order is structured in such a way that there is only one man at each level above the 6th (Grand Master). At such time as a 6th-level character gains sufficient experience points to rank as 7th level he temporarily gains the appropriate attributes. He must then seek out the Grand Master of Dragons, and defeat him in a fair fight. There will always be a higher level to fight, even if there is no player character in the role. Fights are not to the death unless different alignments are involved. Magic may be used.


5 The loser will be automatically dropped to exactly the number of experience points necessary to have attained the level immediately below that which is in question, i.e. the loser of the struggle for 7th level would drop to 50,000 experience points. Members of the Order always know where to find the next higher member, although that person may be at great distance from the location of the challenger. The fight must take place as soon as is possible (treat as a Geas). There is no level above the 16th. Assassins: There is no actual level above Prime Assassin, although there is power attained with the rank of Guildmaster. A character cannot be Guildmaster of more than one Assassins’ Guild. There is only one Assassins’ Guild allowable in any one locale (large city or area of about 2,500 square miles).


6 STATISTICS REGARDING CLASSES: (Addition) Alternate Hit Dice and Hit Point Accumulation: Class: Type of Die Maximum Number Monk 4-sided 16 1 die Assassin 6-sided 13 per level Only the Alternate Combat and Hit Dice systems will be considered for both sub-classes, monks and assassins. Other Statistics Regarding Classes: Monks Move Armor Class Attacks/ Melee Rnd. Open Hand Damage Novice 12” 9 1/1 1–4 Initiate 13” 8 1/1 2–5 Disciple 14” 8 1/1 1–6 Immaculate 15” 7 3/2 1–8 Master 16” 6 3/2 1–10 Grand Master 17” 5 2/1 1–12 G.M./Dragons 18” 4 2/1 2–16 G.M./North Wind 19” 3 2/1 3–18 G.M./West Wind 20” 2 5/2 2–20 G.M./South Wind 22” 1 5/2 2–24 G.M./East Wind 24” 1 3/1 3–24 G.M./Winter 26” 0 3/1 3–30 G.M./Autumn 28” 0 3/1 5–30 G.M./Spring 30” -1 3/1 4–32 G.M./Summer 32” -2 4/1 3–36 G.M./Flowers 34” -3 4/1 4–40 Level of Assassin Level of Victim / % Chance of Assassination 12345678 9/11 12/14 15+ Apprentice 75 70 65 55 45 30 15 01 — — — Killer 80 75 70 60 50 35 20 05 — — — Murderer 85 80 75 65 55 40 25 10 01 — — Slayer 90 85 80 70 60 45 30 15 01 — — Cutthroat 95 90 85 75 65 50 35 20 05 — — Dacoit 00 95 90 80 70 55 40 25 10 01 — Thug 00 00 95 85 75 60 45 30 15 01 — Executioner 00 00 00 90 80 65 50 35 20 05 — Assassin 00 00 00 95 85 70 55 40 25 10 01 Senior Assassin 00 00 00 00 90 75 60 45 30 15 01 Expert Assassin 00 00 00 00 95 80 65 50 35 20 05 Chief Assassin 00 00 00 00 00 85 70 55 40 25 10 Prime Assassin 00 00 00 00 00 90 75 60 45 30 15 Guildmaster 00 00 00 00 00 99 95 80 65 50 35 Base chance for successful assassination will be dependent upon the level of the assassin and the victim — the referee will make any further adjustments necessary to particular case circumstances:


7 HIT LOCATION DURING MELEE As in other systems of damage, the creature attacked has an assigned point value, but attacks upon it can hit only specified areas, and each area has an assigned percentage of the total hit point value of the creature, such as 15%, 80% or whatever. This means that the sum of the parts is greater than the sum of the whole, but as destruction of most of these various parts brings some form of penalty to the creature — not to mention the possibility of immediate death — it is an equitable system. Thus, if a humanoid with a total of 100 possible hit points is attacked, the head can withstand up to 15 points of damage, the chest 80, the abdomen 60, each arm 20, and so on; however, if the head receives 15 points of damage (100% of the possible total) death occurs immediately. Some creatures will not conform to any single body type presented hereafter, but by combining two or more of the pictured body types, in whole or in part, they can be pictured. A centipede, for instance, is a combination of the insectoid and snake forms. HOW TO USE THIS SYSTEM: When a hit is scored upon the being you are fighting consult the charts below and adjust any wounds due to height and weapons. Any hits upon death dealing areas (head, body) are recorded off its percent chance of living. Hit Location Table 1: (Humanoid) FRONT SIDE REAR Head 1–15 1–20 1–25 Chest 16–50 21–50 26–70 Arms* 51–80 51–80 71–80 Legs** 81–00 81–00 81–00 *also wings **also tail Hit Location Table 2: (Avian) FRONT SIDE REAR TOP BELOW Head 1–20 1–10 — 1–15 1–10 Body 21–50 11–50 1–15 16–50 11–50 Wings 51–00 51–80 26–40 51–90 51–70 Legs — 81–90 41–90 — 71–90 Tail — 91–00 91–00 91–00 91–00 Hit Location Table 3: (Reptile) FRONT SIDE REAR Head 1–25 1–20 — Chest 26–70 21–50 — Abdomen — 51–75 1–50 Legs* 71–00 76–90 51–80 Tail — 91–00 81–00 * also wings but optional Hit Location Table 4: (Insectoid) FRONT SIDE REAR TOP BELOW Head 1–00 1–25 — 1–30 1–25 Thorax — 26–40 — — 26–40 Abdomen — 41–60 1–00 31–70 (31–00) 41–70 Legs — 61–80 (61–00) — — 71–00 Wings — 81–00* — 71–00* — *Optional only. When not in use refer to numbers in parentheses above.


8 Hit Location Table 5: (Fish) FRONT SIDE REAR TOP BELOW Head 1–75 1–25 — 1–30 1–25 Body — 26–60 — 31–60 26–60 Fins 76–00 61–75 — 61–80 61–80 Tail — 76–00 1–00 81–00 81–00 Hit Location Table 6: (Snake) REAR (COILED) FRONT SIDE TOP BELOW Head 1–00 1–35 — 1–35 Body — 36–60 — 36–60 Tail — 61–00 1–00 61–00 HUMANOID: 1. An attack from the front may attack all areas but the tail and wings. 2. An attack from the side may aim at the right or left arms or legs (dependent on the side you are attacking from) as well as head, chest, abdomen, tail or wings. 3. An attack from the rear can be directed against the head, chest (back), abdomen, arms, legs, tail, or wings. Mortal Wound: Destruction of the head or chest areas will cause instant death. Non-Cumulative Damage: When the total number of points damage in cumulative areas reaches 100% the creature will expire. Decapitation of limb will cause one damage point per limb lost per turn left untreated. Crippling: Areas (limbs) damaged more than 100% will lose one dexterity point per point of damage taken over normal total. I.e., if it normally takes three points of damage and acquires five points damage (two over its maximum), deduct these two points from the creature’s dexterity rating. No more than twice the value of the limb may be deducted from the dexterity rating. Movement Restrictions: Loss of one leg will reduce all movement to a crawl. Loss of one arm will reduce crawl by 50% each. Loss of one wing will prevent all aerial movement. Loss of tail will reduce dexterity by 1–6 points. Note: An area is considered lost when all points are eliminated and their use is lost. DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (15%) CHEST (80%) ABDOMEN (60%) ARMS (20%) LEGS (25%) TAIL (20%) (optional) WINGS (10%) (optional)


9 FLYER: (Avian) 1. An attack from the front can hit head, body, wings or legs. 2. An attack from the side can hit wings, or (if not spread) also head and body. 3. An attack from the rear can hit body, wings or tail. 4. A top attack can hit head, body, wings, or tail. 5. An attack from below can hit body, wings, legs, or tail. Death: When the total damage reaches 100% of the bird’s point value it is dead. Over 100% damage to either wing will ground the bird permanently. If over 100% damage is suffered by both wings the bird will die, as will loss of both legs (over 100% total). Mortal Wounds: 100% destruction of head or body will cause instant death. Non-Cumulative Damage: Tail only. Movement Restriction: Loss of one wing will prevent flying. Loss of one leg will prevent walking. DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (20%) BODY (80%) WINGS (30% each) LEGS (20% each) TAIL (20%) REPTILE: 1. An attack from the front can hit the head, chest, or forearms. 2. An attack from the side can hit any part of the body: abdomen, wings, hind legs, or tail side of the body. 3. An attack from the rear can hit the abdomen, wings, hind legs, or tail. Note: If the reptile travels erect, all areas but the wings and tail can be hit. Mortal Wounds: The destruction of either the head or chest will result in death to the creature. Non-Cumulative Wounds: Tail and wing areas. Death: When the total damage points exceed 100% of the creature’s point value it dies within 0–2 turns. The creature may not move or attack during these turns but will defend itself. Crippling: Loss of one limb (including a wing) will result in a 50% reduction of the creature’s dexterity. Loss of two limbs (except if both are wings) will cause death. Movement Restrictions: Loss of one wing will prevent all air movement. For quadrupeds the loss of one leg will reduce movement 25%, two legs 50% (if both are on the same side no movement is possible), and three legs 100%. For bipeds loss of one leg will eliminate all ground movement. DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (25%) CHEST (80%) ABDOMEN (60%) LEGS (4 or more) (30%) TAIL (30%)


10 INSECTOID: 1. An attack from the front can hit the head only. 2. An attack from the side can hit any part of the body on the appropriate side. 3. An attack from the rear can hit the abdomen only. 4. An attack from above can hit the head, wings, or abdomen. 5. An attack from below can hit all areas but the wings. Mortal Wound: 100% destruction of the head or thorax will cause death in one turn. Creature functions normally (within limits of damage) until death. Non-Cumulative Damage: Legs and wings as well as abdomen. Crippling: All cripples are replaced by undamaged creatures when and where possible. Otherwise cripples are killed by their nest mates after battle. Death: When thorax is destroyed the creature can no longer fly or move but will still fight. When the head is 100% destroyed the creature can no longer defend itself although it will move at random on foot, a six-sided die determining the direction taken. Movement Restrictions: Loss of all wings on one side will prevent insect from flying. Loss of one wing reduces flying speed 50%. Loss of a leg will not affect speed until a leg is lost from both sides. Reduction to one leg on one or both sides will reduce speed 50% (assuming six legs total and two were lost on one side, speed would be 50% or normal). DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (20%) THORAX (60%) WINGS (4 or more) (10% each) (optional) LEGS (6 or more) (15% each) ABDOMEN (50%) FISH: 1. A frontal attack can hit the head or two pectoral fins. 2. A side attack can hit all areas and appropriate fins on that side of the body. 3. A rear attack can hit the tail only. 4. Top attacks can hit head, body, dorsal fin, or tail areas. 5. A bottom attack can hit head, body, pectoral fins, abdominal fins, or tail. Mortal Wounds: Destruction of the head or body will result in death from 1–4 turns with movement randomly determined. Non-Cumulative Wounds: Tail and fins Death: When the total hits exceed 100% the fish will die immediately. Crippling: The fish cannot survive the total loss of the fin or tail and will die after taking such damage within 1–4 turns. Movement Restriction: The steering is done by the tail and body. Loss of the tail will cause only one 22.5% turn per turn of movement. Loss of body will cause loss of turning ability, but fins and tail (not belly or dorsal fins) allow movement at 50% less speed. Also, subtract 20% from speed per fin lost. Loss of fins along one side will prevent opposite turns. The fish may always rise to the surface but it must still have speed ability to allow descent. DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (40%) BODY (80%) FINS (10% each) (2 pectoral, 1 dorsal, 2 abdominal) TAIL (15%)


11 SNAKE: 1. Front attacks can hit head only. 2. Rear attacks can hit the tail only. 3. Any other direction can hit any area. 4. A coiled snake may be hit in any area. Mortal Wound: Destruction of the head will result in death but the body will writhe for 2–16 turns. Upper body destruction will cause death in 2–8 turns but the snake can defend if frontally attacked. Non-Cumulative Wounds: None. Death: 100% loss will cause death in 1–8 turns. During this time it will writhe about but cannot defend itself. Crippling: Lower body hits are healable but all others will result in eventual death. Movement Restrictions: 100% loss of any area will cause a 50% movement reduction and any other additional damage that exceeds 75% of the total will cause immobilization. DAMAGE ALLOCATION HEAD (30%) UPPER BODY (50%) LOWER BODY (40%)


12 Weapon/Height Adjustment Matrix DEFENDER HEIGHT: ATTACKER HEIGHT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 1 N N N 40 60 W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W 2 10 N N N 40 60 W W W W W W W W W W W W W W 3 20 10 N N N 40 60 W W W W W W W W W W W W W 4 40 20 10 N N N 40 60 80 W W W W W W W W W W W 5 80 40 20 10 N N N 40 60 80 W W W W W W W W W W 6 A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W W W W W W 7 A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W W W W W 8 A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W W W W 9 A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W W W 10 A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W W 11 A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W W 12 A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W W 13 A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 W 14 A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 80 15 A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 60 16 A A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 40 17 A A A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 20 18 A A A A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N N 19 A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N N 20 A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 80 40 20 10 N A = Automatic hit in possible death dealing area. N = Normal. Person consults the hit location chart for area hit. W = Wound area hit only (legs, etc.). This may vary between creatures. There is no chance for death by striking these areas except through accumulative damage. Numbers to left of “N’s” show what may be hit (Ex. — 6’ attacker vs. 3’ defender, both humanoid; matrix reads ‘40’, i.e. only head or upper chest may be hit.) Numbers to right of “N’s” show what may not be hit. (Ex. — 4’ attacker vs. 8’ defender; matrix = 60, i.e. only arms or legs may be struck). Weapon Lengths Effect on Combat: The length of a weapon can matter greatly when you are engaging someone in combat who is larger or smaller than you are. A person smaller in stature but using a weapon that equals the height of the creature or person he is combatting has nothing subtracted from his die roll due to his lack of size. Example: A man of 5 feet with a 4-foot-long spear approaches a giant of nine feet in height. On the table, after cross indexing the attacker’s height (5 feet) against the defender’s (9 feet) we find that the man has a 60% less chance on the Hit chart of scoring a Mortal wound. Since the man has an additional four feet of length due to his spear, add these additional four feet by progressing downwards until reaching the 9 foot mark (5 + 4). The result is now “N” or normal, meaning that the man may hit the giant in any area while rolling on the hit location tables. When smaller creatures engage larger persons with a weapon that is longer or taller in height than the creature they are using it on, they gain no special advantage from it, but strike normally, having the distance to reach all vital areas of his adversary. Unlike the above, those persons which are higher than the one they are attacking gain their regular % plus and also gain +5% for every extra foot of weapon they have over and additional to their opponent’s.


13 Attacks and Damage by Monster Type: (Addition) This system is to be used with the varying damage by weapons table and in no event is it recommended for use without the aforementioned. MONSTER # OF ATTACKS DAMAGE PER ATTACK Merman 1 bite/2 hands 1–8 bite/1–4 hand Giant Octopus 1–6 tentacles/1 bite 1–6 tentacles*/1–6 bite Giant Squid 1–6 tentacles/beak 1–8 tentacles*/1–10 beak Giant Crocodile 1 bite (70%)/1 tail (30%) 4–24 bite**/3–12 tail Giant Toad 1 bite 1–10/save vs. poison (spec.) Giant Frog 1 bite 1–10 Giant Leech 1 bite 2–12 bite/drain (spec.) Giant Beaver 1 bite/2 paws 4–24 bite/1–8 paw Giant Otter 1 bite/2 paws 3–18 bite/2–12 paw Giant Wasp 1 sting 1–8 sting (special) Giant Beetle as per type Stag 3–12 mouth/1–10 each horn Rhinoceros 4–16 mouth/2–16 horn Bombardier 1–12 mouth/special Fire 3–24 mandibles Boring 3–18 mouth Fire Lizard 1 bite/2 claws/breath 4–16 bite/1–8 claw/special Minotaur Lizard 1 bite/2 feet 4–32 bite/2–20 feet Elasmosaurus 1 bite (80%)/1 butt (20%) 4–32 bite/1–10 butt Mosasaurus 1 bite 6–48 bite Plesiosaurus 1 bite 8–80 bite Giant Shark 1 bite 6–24 bite*** Whale 1 bite (55%)/flukes (45%) 10–80 bite****/15–150 flukes Giant Eel 1 bite/”jolt” 4–16 bite/jolt (special) Lamprey 1 bite/drain 1–4 bite/drain (special) Sea Horse 1 butt 1–6 butt Port. Man-o-War 1–100 tentacles 1–8/save vs. paralyzation Dolphin 1 butt 1–8 normal/2–12 in war harness Aquatic Elf 1 1–10; or by weapon type Pungi Ray 1 spine per sq. ft. 1–4/special poison Manta Ray 1 bite/tail special bite/1–6 tail/save vs. paral. Water Spider 1 bite 1–4 bite/save vs. poison Weed Eel 1 bite 1–4 bite/special venom Sahuagin 1 2–12; or by weapon type Eye of the Deep 1 bite/special 1–3/special Ixitxachitl 1 bite/special 3–18 bite/special Locathah 1– 1–6; or by weapon type Morkoth special special Masher 1 bite/1 sting 2–24 bite/1–8 sting/save vs. poison * — 1st Rd; +3 subsequent rds. — constriction ** — roll of 19+ (95%+, in any case) — victim seized & severed *** — roll of 18+ (90%+, in any case) — victims swallowed **** — 10% chance of not being swallowed — if not, 6–24 pts.


14 Monsters & Treasure # Armor Move Dice % Lair Treasure Mermen 30–300 7 3/15 1 40% A Giant Crabs 3–12 2 6 3 — — Giant Octopi 1–4 7 3/9 4 30% A Giant Squid 2–12 7/3 3/12 6 20% A Giant Crocodile 12–60 5 9/15 6 20% — Giant Toad 3–30 6 1/3/18 1–2 — — Giant Frog 4–40 7 1/3/24 1–3 — — Giant Leech 2–12 8 6 2 — — Giant Beaver 10–40 5 6 4 85% D Giant Otter 10–40 6 9 3 15% D Giant Wasps 3–30 5 6/24 3 — — Giant Beetle 1–12 3 6/12 4 — — Fire Lizard 1–4 2 9 12 60% E Minotaur Lizard 1–6 3 9 8 50% E Elasmosaurus 1–4 4 12 20 — — Mosasaurus 1–4 3 3/15 10–20 — — Plesiosaurus 1–4 4 15 20–25 — — Giant Shark 2–12 5 24 4–9 — — Whale 1–8 5 18 40 — inside: type H × 3 Giant Eel 2–16 7 12 1+4 — — Lamprey 2–16 6 9 3 — — Sea Horse 1–20 7 12 2–3 — — Port. Man-o-War 2–12 8 3 2 — — Dolphins 2–20 6 15/21 2+2 — — Aquatic Elves 10–300 5 12/18 1 30% E Pungi Ray 1–4 6 6 6 — gems Manta Ray 1–4 5 8/12 12 — gems Water Spiders 1–12 5 6 4–6 65% F Weed Eels 10–100 8 3 1 100% E Sahuagin 10–60 4 18/30 2 30% F & A Eyes 2–12 8 36 1–2 — — Ixitxachitl 90–150 5 9 2(-1) 75% F Locathah 30–300 7 24/36 2(+1) — — Morkoth 1 3 — 8 100% H Masher 1–4 6 15 20 25% D


15 MONSTER DESCRIPTIONS MERMEN: More intelligent than lizardmen, these aquatic creatures use weapons as men do. They hunt fish, their primary food source. They maintain regular underwater communities where schools of fish are kept penned with nets for food. Giant seahorses are used extensively for transportation. In many ways, the civilization of the mermen rivals that of humans. When out of the water, they will take one die damage per turn during daylight, and one die per four turns during darkness, as well as quadruple damage from fire weapons. Spells and special suits are usually used when out of the water (to retain their moisture) but further limit their movement and combat abilities, as if affected by a slow spell. The first two turns out of the water, they will not sustain damage, and on the third turn will seek to return to it if not protected, or suffocate from the lack thereof (hence the damage). When attacking surface vessels, they may grapple from up to 1” distant. For every ten mermen on a grapple, the ship’s speed is reduced 1”. If the grapple is cut while they are holding on, the mermen are forced back 1”, and unable to move or grapple on the next turn.) One merman out of ten carries a grapple. When surfacing to grapple or board, mermen are subject to normal missile fire with “soft” cover. When they board a ship, they start at a level lower than the ship. Seahorses may be harnessed to the grapples, with the strength of three mermen. Mermen are armed with slings and crossbows as missile weapons, and can surface and fire from seahorseback. They are generally neutral. GIANT CRABS: These mighty crustaceans cannot swim, but, rather, walk on the bottom, moving sideways. They can move out of the water with no ill effect but will stay close to water. With their huge pincers, they can seize any normal man-sized opponent, sometimes catching two or more (25% chance of catching 1–3). They mainly raid the underwater farms of the mermen who consider them a nuisance since the mermen can easily grapple with them and pull them off of their feet, underwater, thereby rendering them helpless. Only during the Spring do these armored giants voluntarily leave the water, and then in tremendous numbers, for mating and egg-laying. Anything found in their path is immediately attacked and torn apart. Fortunately, they rarely go inland more than a mile, and usually frequent the same hatching grounds from year to year.


16 GIANT OCTOPI: Living in the shallows near shore in dark caves, these great mollusks venture forth to feed on bottom dwelling creatures, such as giant crabs, and to seize unwary swimmers and small vessels. In large numbers, they have been known to attack large vessels, but only after provocation. Generally peaceful, they will not attack unless attacked first and will not retreat until the attacker is within 100 yards, but then only into their cave. GIANT SQUID: Similar to the giant octopi, the squid is far more vicious and is able to swim around much more to feed on fish of any size, including whales, which are a favored delicacy. Attacks on ships of all sizes are common since they look to the squid to be whales on the surface. Individual swimmers are usually ignored, unless they come from a ship that has been attacked. Along with the octopi, these creatures are able to emit an inky cloud when frightened and/or retreated, which greatly obscures vision. There is a 33% chance that these creatures will return to their cave when wounded, otherwise they fight to the death. The squid’s beak will act like a ram on any ship that it grapples for an entire melee round. (Treat as ship-to-ship ram). Squids tire easily; there is a 50% chance that they will withdraw after three rounds of melee, with a 5% increase each turn thereafter. GIANT CROCODILE: Living in swamps along rivers, seas and lakes, these ferocious predators will attack any unwary traveler or small boat that ventures near. Assaulting in large numbers, they will attempt to overturn small open-decked craft, to enable them to attack their prey. Their favorite mode of attack is to use their massive jaws, dragging their kicking victims under the water. Their tails, however, are also deadly weapons, able to stun a man in the water, knock him down on land, or swamp and capsize very small boats, such as skiffs. GIANT TOADS: These relatively harmless creatures prey on all types of insects, but when threatened or provoked will defend themselves to the death. These creatures are found all over the world in many different types of terrain, blending into it due to their protective coloration (treat as invisible). These amphibians have the ability to leap 18”/turn, passing over obstacles/creatures up to 30’ tall. While leaping, they may not attack, but they are capable of taking off in any direction within 45° of their facing. Their long tongues can attack any opponent within 15’. If the tongue hits, it will adhere and draw the opponent into the mouth to be bitten on the next melee round. If the tongue is hit (see Special Damage Section) it will attempt to disengage (score equal to hit), but if unsuccessful, will fight at double value, but will be unable to use the tongue again (since it is extremely sensitive, it will not expose it again, except in a life or death situation). They will attack any healthy insect of two hit dice or less, or any wounded insect. All insects will attempt to avoid wherever possible. GIANT FROG: The giant man-eating frog is truly vicious, attacking any small creature that crosses its path. Its tongue is similar to that of the toad, and is used the same, though its range is only 10’. It can, however, leap farther than the toad (24”). Its primary diet is insects and rats, but it is hunted by snakes and mermen, as well as several species of birds and reptiles (as is the toad) but avoided by insects. Found in swamps and along rivers (but not where its enemies are likely to be) they will leap on passing ships from the shore to seize its victims. They are unintelligent and will retreat upon sustaining damage, but will fight to the death if badly wounded or trapped. GIANT LEECH: Found in swamps and concealed underwater, they will attempt to attach themselves to any warm-blooded creature that comes within one move (6”), causing the victim to lose one life level each turn that it remains attached. They can be removed by killing them, but the victim must get a cure disease spell as soon as possible, or die within a month. GIANT BEAVER: Not inclined to fight, these neutral creatures will flee when met openly, and fight only when cornered or trapped. They build great dams in order to create ponds in which to build their huge mud and wood “castles.” They are remarkably intelligent and can be persuaded to build dams and other earthworks in exchange for jewelry, gold, or gourmet bark. Very valuable is their hide which commands a high price, in addition to the trinkets in their lair. When an alarm sounds, all the beavers in the area will return to the central lodge and fight ferociously to drive away the attackers, not giving up until either successful or dead. Kits (8 pts or less) can be subdued and sold for a high price in the markets.


17 GIANT OTTER: Another relatively harmless creature whose antics of play may cause great damage, even though unintentional. They also possess a highly prized pelt, as well as a store of trinkets in their dens. Their aggressiveness is nil, but they will feign attacks and leap about so disturbingly as to frighten horses and overturn wagons, as well as boats that they scamper and gambol about. Their antics conceal a vast native intelligence that prevents them from falling into any trap not magically guarded. Their agility makes them excellent for hunting other creatures, once having been domesticated, or more likely, captured as kits or born into captivity. Due to their extreme rarity, they are highly prized as zoo specimens or pets of the very wealthy. When cornered, when the young are jeopardized, or when the lair is discovered, they will fight viciously until the young are safely away, and then withdraw themselves.


18 GIANT WASPS: Feared by all, these creatures can deliver a deadly sting, similar to a cast spear dipped in poison. There is an 80% chance that it can only sting once, and never more than twice. The victim, if not killed outright, must receive a neutralise poison spell within 24 hours or perish (no saving throw vs. poison). Within an hour of being stung, the victim will be unable to move without help, and within twelve hours, any movement (except teleportation or similarly smooth mode) will kill him outright. Any victim that dies from such a sting has his chances of being brought back to life by any means reduced by 30%. GIANT BEETLES: There are five different types of giant beetle that one might encounter, though other esoteric species have been reported. They are: Armor Move Hit Dice % in Lair Treasure Type No. Appearing GIANT STAG BEETLE 3 6” 6 — nil 2–12 RHINOCEROS BEETLE 2 6” 12 — nil 1–6 BOMBARDIER BEETLE 4 9” 1 — nil 3–12 FIRE BEETLE 4 9” 1–1 — nil 3–12 BORING BEETLE 3 6” 5 50% A 2–12 1. The giant stag normally measures 10’ from tip to tip. It has an affinity for raiding grain fields and forests, its two most common habitats. Unintelligent, it will fight only when attacked or when it moves against an object that resists being crawled over (they will eat flesh if it is encountered), impaling the victim on its two 10’ horns! 2. The rhinoceros beetle is some 20’ long and 10’ wide, and is found in the tropical rainforest of the equatorial regions. It has a single huge horn (usually 8–10’) extending in front of its body and is heavily armored. They roam the forests eating fruit from the trees, and either destroy anything in their paths (using their horn as a ram, 2–16 pts. damage), or simply fly over it. 3. The bombardier beetle is rather small (6’ or less), lives on the surface and is capable of moving pretty fast. They subsist on dead flesh and lay their eggs in huge piles of offal that they gather. When disturbed, they fire a cloud of very smelly, reddish acid from their abdomen, while making an explosive sound (10% chance of stunning anything within 60’ of five dice or less; duration 2–8 turns: 20% chance of causing temporary deafness (2–24 turns) in anything within same distance of six dice or less — roll for each separately). They may do this every other turn for three times (in six turns). Treat the cloud same as black dragon breath weapon, but with half range and half damage. 4. Fire beetles are very small (2–4’), but armed with crushing mandibles. Their main claim to fame is their peculiar luminescence, emanating from two spots near the eyes that emit a greenish light, and another spot near the tail that glows red. The lights produce a soft steady glow, and this makes fire beetles highly prized by adventurers bound for dark regions. They live off of grain and wastes as do other beetles. 5. Boring beetles are about 15’ long, and 5’ thick. They most commonly are found in large trees or unused tunnel complexes. This species grows yellow mold for food, as well as cultivating many of the other vile jellies and slimes often encountered in dungeons. Of all beetles, these are the most intelligent, but they are by no means capable of independent thought. However it is rumored that large numbers of them can approximate a fairly intelligent community consciousness. They start their nauseating cultures by gathering various dead bodies and rotting offal and add a small bit of the substance to stimulate growth (sort of putrid Petri dishes). Beetles in general also feed on other insects, although wasps are not much affected by them. Any object brushed against by a beetle will be investigated with the feelers (the taste test) and if edible will be seized immediately in the jaws/mandibles and carried off. Since beetles will eat virtually any organic material, the referee must determine if a hapless adventurer becomes “beetle brunch.” The jaws/mandibles will grind the victim to facilitate effortless swallowing, thereby eliminating any chance of resurrection.


19 FIRE LIZARD: (Also called the ‘false dragon’) These large lizards are of identical appearance to dragons, without wings. Of similar size, they are commonly mottled gray, and are rumored to be the ancestors of present-day dragons. They share a number of habits with dragons, such as seeking out shiny baubles with which to line their nests, and taking ten-year naps after sealing off their cave. Unlike dragons, these beasts take but 10 years to mature, and have only limited growth, while living a century. Also unlike dragons, they harbor no great affection for their young. They can go as long as ten years without eating, but if given sufficient chance, they will wolf down a cow or two every month. They are relatively immune to fire (like dragons) and can breathe a small puff of smoke and fire (1–10 pts. of damage within 10’). Dragons will avoid injuring or fighting them if possible. They are believed to be unintelligent. MINOTAUR LIZARD: Quite large in their own right, they in no way resemble dragons or fire lizards, and seldom exceed 40’. They can neither fly nor breathe fire, but have exceptionally long and sharp claws with which they attack and rend their prey. They live 40 years, maturing within 10. They drag their prey into their den before they will feed on it. They will attack anything that enters their den. ELASMOSAURUS: Body length is 40’, with serpentine neck some 25’ long. They are propelled by four flippers. Favorite trick is snatching crewmen from decks of passing ships, never giving warning. Only very small boats are in danger of being sunk by them, but any crewman on an open deck or in the rigging is fair game. MOSOSAURUS: Gigantic marine lizards averaging 40’ in length. They will occasionally overturn small craft, but usually dine on aquatic creatures. PLESIOSAURUS: Huge, broad sea serpents usually over 40’ in length, with paddle-like legs. They have short necks, but heads are commonly 8–9’ long. An endangered species, they are quite vicious (which would seem to account for their reduced numbers) and will attack any vessel that intrudes into their hunting territory. GIANT SHARK: These behemoths from the deeps are simply highly efficient eating machines. Attracted by activity in the water, they will not usually attack unless: the victim is wounded, they are attacked, they are wounded, hungry (30% chance), the victim is making an awful commotion, or the victim is bite-sized (like a Halfling!). They are hereditary enemies of mermen. WHALE: Generally peaceful, they will avoid a fight unless attacked first. They use their great size (200’+) to batter an enemy, and once stunned, or otherwise motionless, they will swallow them with their immense jaws. They have been known to swallow small boats (under 35’) intact with crew. There is a 1% chance per hit point that their immense bellies will hold treasure. Their oil and flesh are both valuable. GIANT EELS: They live in tidal areas or rivers. They are capable of inflicting electric shocks of two sizes, the smaller being used to stun prey or warn off intruders. They can generate 3–5 such jolts within one hour, with a range that varies according to their size: 12 pts. 60’ 2-die jolt — 4-die jolt 8 pts. 40’ 1 × 8-sided — 2 × 8-sided 4 pts. 20’ 1 × 4-sided — 2 × 4-sided Average size is 10’, but rare specimens can be double this (2 die +4). LAMPREY: Similar to very mobile leeches that range from 1 hit point to 18 hit points. They drain blood very quickly (2–5 turns), at a rate of one level per hit point. Evolutionarily primitive, they are hard to kill. SEA HORSE: Harmless by nature, they have been domesticated by mermen to serve as steeds, and are capable of the same variety of tasks/uses. PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR: Possesses 10–60 deadly tentacles, up to 100’ long. Body is about 10’ across. Big advantages are protective coloration (tentacles indistinguishable from


20 weeds), complete silence and lack of brain waves to detect. Tentacles can paralyze (save vs. same), but only sustain 1 point each, then are severed. Only destruction of the body sac will kill it. DOLPHINS: Possessed of a great intelligence, they have organized nomadic underwater communities. They will attack any larger creature that threatens them. They can butt their enemies for 1–8 pts. damage, unless they are fitted with a war harness, in which case they do damage as a moving spear. (The harness is a rig that contains a long wicked spear that protrudes in front.) They will come to the aid of any humans being attacked by denizens of the deep. They will attack sharks on sight whenever the odds are less than three to two against the dolphins. They are normally found in schools of 2–20, with there being a 75% chance that there will be 1–4 more such groups in the same area of ocean. They can communicate with other dolphins using telepathy which has a range of 50 miles. They can detect the use of magic within the same range (50 miles) and are as magic resistant as dwarves. AQUATIC ELVES: Also called sea elves, they are akin to mermen as land elves are to men. Found almost exclusively among heavy weed beds in quiet sheltered waters, they are great friends of the dolphins. They fashion great caverns in lagoon bottoms and reefs, where they establish shops that fashion fishing and seaweed harvesting equipment from indigenous materials (bone, weed, wood and sinew). These they trade with land elves for metal goods (they are unable to forge underwater) as well as rare metals found in the sea. For every 60 sea elves, there is a 50% chance that they are accompanied by 3–6 friendly dolphins. They are humanoid in appearance, with gill slits on the throat. Seaweed affords little or no hindrance to their movement. They are invisible in weeds or on reefs. They are mortal enemies of sharks and sahuagin, and will attack either if they outnumber them. They are friends to dolphins and land elves, and neutral to all others, except for fishermen, whom they dislike due to the number of sea elves snared in nets and killed mistakenly as sahuagin by ignorant humans. PUNGI RAY: Often mistaken as a piece of low weed or sea grass on the bottom of the water, the Pungi Ray is deadly. Each of the seemingly innocent green stalks is really an iron hard spike full of deadly nerve poison. Their protective coloration is excellent (treat as invisible outside 10’). There is a 50% chance that there will be 1–10 gems inside the carcass. Each square foot of a body that lands on a ray will suffer a separate poison attack. (Ex. — walking on one would be two attacks — one for each foot. Landing on one would be 20–30 attacks.) Treat the spines as poisoned daggers (if saving throw vs. poison is made, still suffer dagger damage). If the ray is able to cover the victim, treat it like a Giant Leech.


21 MANTA RAY: This giant — as much as 75’ across — is best known for its 15’ mouth which is capable of devouring virtually any non-giant species in a single gulp. It has a great stinger in its tail which is treated as a mace with a saving throw vs. paralyzation needed if it hits. Normally a solitary predator, it blends with the sea floor. Due to its lightning speed, the first rush is nearly impossible to dodge. Its indiscriminate feeding habits label it neutral. There is a 75% chance that the stomach will hold 2–20 gems. GIANT SEA SPIDER: Normally found living in great air bubbles in heavy weed beds, they normally feed on small fish. They accomplish this by weaving webs in the weeds, usually in clusters of 12–24 near the lair. The only entrance to the lair is through the bottom through an air-lock type arrangement. The main chamber is from 10–100’ across. Many an abandoned spider nest has provided refuge to air breathers. WEED EELS: Small and weak, these 2–4’ creatures live in burrows on the ocean floor, never leaving them. Living in colonies of 10–100, they appear to be harmless reeds swaying with the current. When alarmed, the “reeds” appear to vanish into the lairs (which are interconnected into a labyrinth) with their heads facing out and bodies filling the entrance. Inside, the tunnels expand to 5’ in diameter. Their only defense is their bite, which when it strikes home will kill in one turn. If not resurrected within 6 turns, the body is beyond saving. They will never stray from their nests, but when striking they have a range of 10’, the attack being so swift that for all practical purposes they are always blocking the entranceway. THE SAHUAGIN (Devil-Men of the Deep): A constant threat to man, beast and fish are the voracious SAHUAGIN whose only friends seem to be the equally voracious and predatory Giant Sharks. Although of an intelligence equal to the elves in many respects, the Sahuagin have taken and perverted virtually every aspect of civilization to support their sadistic cannibalistic culture. In the eons past there was a great flooding of the land (although history does not agree when this occurred and it may have happened twice) when the ice caps were melted during a great struggle of the gods to control the planet. When the water rose some of these gods took care that representative portions of all life were preserved and returned when the waters fell and the land became fruitful again. Others sought to change the nature of life so it could adapt to the new face of the world and at the same time preserve its intelligence. On the one hand it is said that the sea elves and the mermen were created by the Great Gods of Neutrality and Law while the Gods of Chaos bent their will to create the Sahuagin. In every aspect the Evil ones sought to make the Sahuagin into the most evil of the evil and many agree that they succeeded in making a race that fit that bill. Many individual horrors both on the land and sea may be in themselves worse than the Sahuagin but nowhere will there be found a comparable race that as a whole retains the worst possible qualities. Much about the Sahuagin is probably myth but even if half of what is said about them is true then they are, indeed, a terrible threat. With a huge leech-like mouth, large reptilian eyes, and huge ear-like growths on the side of their heads they have an almost alien appearance. On the upper body are two arm-like extensions that act as forward fins and end in two pincer-like protrusions (opposed to each other) which are used to grasp tools and weapons. The main body is reptilian in nature, covered with thick hide, and has a rudimentary tail which is used much like an alligator’s tail for steering and propulsion. The two rear legs are located about 2/3 of the way down the body and are long and frog-like, ending in a six-toed webbed foot which provides great stability when standing on soft sea bottoms and great propulsion when swimming. They have an average underwater speed of 18” with maximum speeds of up to 30” about once every hour. Their tough reptilian hide is similar to leather armor while the body can sustain two hit dice in damage. The mouth can be used to attach itself to or to rend the flesh of the victim with its hundreds of razor sharp teeth. The tail can deliver a pile driver-like punch similar to that wielded by a giant (club damage times two). The powerful pincers will crush anything up to or under bony composition they grasp (as daggers). The back feet can tear apart any


22 victim that is grabbed by the forearms or otherwise act like the claws of a powerful animal. This formidable array is aided by the sensitive ears that can pick up underwater noise as slight as a boat’s oars cutting through the water at ranges of ten miles. The compound eyes are sensitive to light but can see through the darkest depths for up to half a mile (80–90”). Their disadvantages are that their eyes generally keep them 100’ or more below the surface, although at night or during storms they will reach the surface. Their ears are easily damaged by loud noises at close range and they cannot pick out the sound of swimming creatures (of any kind). 10–60 will be found in a single group with a 30% chance they will be in a lair with Class “F” and “A” treasure. The lair will be completely water-filled since these creatures cannot breathe air or fresh water at all. When found in a lair there is a 10% chance that it is actually an underwater community of 100–1,000 creatures. There is then a further 20% chance that this community consists of 1,000–10,000 individuals. The underwater capital city has nearly 100,000 of these creatures residing within its watery limits. These cities will have great fighters and magic users as well as underwater horrors that live and fight for the Sahuagin. The ratio of these is as follows: per ten Sahuagin there is a 25% chance of a double value fighter (Hero type) per sixty there is a 15% chance of a triple value fighter (Superhero) per one hundred of these individuals there is a 10% chance of a quadruple value fighter. per five hundred of these individuals there is a 20% chance of a quintuple (5) times normal value fighter (Leader). per one thousand individuals there is a 50% chance of a six times normal value fighter. per forty there is a 30% chance of a 2nd-level magic user. per one hundred there is a 25% chance of a 4th-level magic user. per two hundred there is a 10% chance of a 6th-level magic user. per five hundred there is a 25% chance of an 8th-level magic user. per one thousand there is a 40% chance of a 12th-level magic user. per group or up to sixty there will be 2–20 accompanying sharks.* per group of one hundred there will be an additional 10–60 sharks. per group of five hundred there will be an additional 20–120 sharks. per group of one thousand there will be 100–400 additional sharks. *(all totals for sharks are cumulative) These creatures of evil are usually armed with the trident and the net — the former having a deadly poison on its tip and the latter having hundreds of small hooks set into its fabric. The Sahuagin have become very adept at the use of both these weapons and these weapons also suit their temperament and regular habits. As an example, the small hooks in the net hinder escape while inflicting great pain on the live victims, and when torn from the flesh have the usual accompanying sharks driven into a frenzy from which they may attack the helplessly snared victims. The tridents provide the ability to pin and probe the victims while not inflicting any mortal wounds (when the tips are unpoisoned) and allowing the Sahuagin to remain at a safe distance. Victims are usually brought to the nearest habitation (although only the ones with over 1,000 in population would have confinement cells for air breathing types) where they are either promptly eaten or penned in with some other predator to provide entertainment. The most common entertainment is to set the sharks on the victim, giving him only a small knife to defend himself. There are dozens of variations on the particular theme. Once captured there is very little possibility of escape and the sadistic nature of the captors has often allowed prisoners to think that they escaped only to be set upon by the sharks and guards when freedom (seemingly) is close at hand. The culture of these creatures allows that there is only one King and he has only nine Princes with lesser positions being held as the situation and population demands. These leaders are always subject to challenge by any other member of the race to their position of leadership. The leaders are usually quite strong and several are reported to be mutations with four arms (this


23 occurs in 1% of the population as a whole) and the fact that the Sahuagin never cease to grow throughout their lives (much like reptiles) so that the leaders are also usually the older members of the species as well. Unsuccessful challengers are always killed and any cripples that occur in these fights are also disposed of, with especially unpopular types being tortured to death. The disposal of the victims takes place at an after-the-challenge party where they are eaten by the other members of the group or community. This is also done with sickly members and others thought to be unfit to be a part of the community. The females are expected to bear their share of the fighting and are, visually at least, no different than the other members of the species. The young are hatched from eggs and at birth, except for a few days right after birth, no different in size, strength, or viciousness than any other tribal member. The birth rate is about 15% a year and the average death rate about 10% a year. FLOATING EYES: Actually small fish with a huge central eye, they have the power to hypnotize a victim or put fear into him. They can move rapidly at 36” a turn. Eyes have Class VIII armor, take 1 H.D. –2, and travel in groups of 2–12. Saving throws are as for fear gas or being hypnotized. They have no other weapon. Larger fish, like sharks, then eat the prey while the Eyes go after the remains: the Eyes also feed on very small fish and plankton. They have no treasure. IXITXACHITL: A race of Chaotic Clerical Philosophers, they resemble Manta Rays (i.e. having a flat blanket-like form) with one in ten being a vampire equivalent (affected by any holy or blessed item, not just a cross). They are found in groups of 50–150 creatures with 40–120 being 1st-level philosophers (or clerics) and the rest of 2nd to 11th level (roll 10-sided die and add one). For every 25 such creatures there is a 50% chance of a magic user of the 6th to 11th level (roll 6-sided die and add six). For every vampire they possess one level F treasure, and one class “A” sea treasure for every magic user over 8th level; magic items cannot be used if hands are required (generally that means that only items that can be worn upon the body can be used). LOCATHAH: This nomadic people ride eels and are found along the canyon floors roaming the depths in search of food (use standard NOMAD Table for composition). For riding eels use a 24” standard movement with a 36” fast move every eight turns. They will be found in their lair only 15% of the time (generally a castle which they maintain as a base camp with its own guards etc.). They are neutral by disposition and otherwise fairly civilized. MORKOTH or MORLOCK: The shrouded wraith of the deep who makes his home in a series of spiraling tunnels, which, when viewed from above, form a hypnotic pattern that will exert a pulling influence on anyone passing within 24” of it. At the center of the pattern is the MORKOTH which, when you get within 6”, will cast a charm person spell on you while adding +4 to its effect. When attacked by magical or Clerical Spells the Morkoth will reflect back an equivalent spell on the person casting it and anyone else within 10’. POISONOUS CORAL: If one falls or cuts himself on this type of coral he must make a saving throw against the poison or be cured by a cleric within 12 turns or die. MASHERS: Coral eaters, harmless unless frightened, if so are just like 20 hit dice Purple worms, with treasure. STRANGLE WEED: Looks just like ordinary seaweed but crushes victim like a tentacle and is found in clusters of 1–4. Weed and victim each roll four dice, adding four to the number that is rolled on the dice. If the weeds roll exceeds the victim’s by two or more add the difference as damage to the victim (EXAMPLE a 12 and a 10 are rolled (after the 4 pips are added) meaning that the weed exceeds the victim’s roll by only two points which causes no damage, had the weed rolled a 16 and the victim 10 then the victim would have suffered four points of damage). For every point of damage suffered by the victim deduct one point from his subsequent die throws (EXAMPLE: if he rolled a 10 next time he would add 4 points but then have to deduct four points for the damage that he suffered). Should the victim’s die throw (after all modifications) exceed the weed’s by a factor of two to one, he has escaped. The weed is of class I Armor with 12 hit dice; it can only attack parties within 10’ of it.


24 LYCANTHROPES: Any warm-blooded creature has the potential to become a were-creature if it lives through an attack by any lycanthrope that bites it. Should the wound be suffered in the spring under a full moon, only a Cleric of 10th level or higher may effect a cure. There is always a chance that the victim’s “were-self” will assert itself, thus causing a split personality. To determine this, compare the were-creature’s strength and intelligence to that of his victim. By using the methods used on intelligent/egotistic swords, the referee may determine which personality will prevail in any given circumstance. Another aspect of lycanthropy is that men who are bitten by an animal will assume that animal’s form, but retain human direction and intelligence. The reverse is true if an animal is the victim. Lycanthropes can be harmed only by magic, silver or magic weapons. Lycanthropy causes the following modifications: Hit Dice — Two to Four times regular number Speed — +20% Armor — up one class Strength/Constitution — Add 1–3 pts. to each NYMPHS: as DRYADS in all respects MOTTLED WORMS: Similar to mottled purple worms on surface GNOMES: Live in air-enclosed subterranean cities connected to the surface by tunnels. KOBOLDS: Live in air-enclosed cave complexes connected to the surface by tunnels. LEECHES: See Book II: MONSTERS & TREASURE. OCHRE JELLIES: See Book II: MONSTERS & TREASURE. GREEN SLIMES: See Book II: MONSTERS & TREASURE. EVIL HIGH PRIESTS: As described in Book II: MONSTERS & TREASURE, except that they live in underwater castles surrounded by a spell which allows those within to breathe the water just as if it were regular air from the surface. ROPERS: See Book IV: GREYHAWK GELATINOUS CUBES: See Book II: MONSTERS & TREASURE. SEA HAGS: Same powers as Dryad but attempts to kill victims with her ugliness; same saving throw as against magic spell. Class “C” Treasure. KAPOACINTHS: As with Gargoyles but live in ocean (wings act as fins). KOALINTH: Treat as Hobgoblins (water-breathing type). LACEDONS: As GHOULS in Book II but leader (5% chance per 50) is a WRAITH NEW MAGIC and TREASURE: RING OF FREEDOM: Allows one to move as if they were in air and allows you to inflict normal (surface) damage on opponent. RING OF MOVEMENT: Same effects as ring of flying but instead of Air it works for swimming in water. CLEARWATER POTION: Removes all salt from water in a 10’ globe around the point of release. MANTA RAY CLOAK: Moves one at the same speed as a manta ray, enables one to breathe water and also fights as a manta ray when released to do so. NECKLACE OF WATER BREATHING: Allows one to breathe water for 2½ days (then requires a ½ day rest after the 2½ days constant use).


25 TRIDENT OF FISH CONTROL: Will allow the wielder to control any non-air breathing swimming creature (except Portuguese Man-o-War). NET OF SNARING: Will automatically snare any swimming target, up to a range of 50’ towards which it is thrown. PEARLS: Treat the same as gems. PINK PEARLS: Treat as jewels. BLACK PEARLS: Treat as magic amulet good for one additional spell, which the magic user could normally perform. GOLD PEARL: As black pearl but for Clerics. RED PEARL: Allows Fighters to heal up to ten hit points a day when held to wound. SILVER PEARL: Worth 10–100,000 gold pieces, each (5% any gem will be one). HELM OF UNDERWATER VISION: Allows the wearer to see 180” in any water not blocked by rocks or plants, etc.


26 The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures


27


28 Background: Deep in the primaeval swamps of Lake Gloomey, shrouded in perpetual mist, lies the city of The Brothers of the Swamp. For years past this “religious” order has delved into the forbidden areas of study and determined that animals have more potential to populate the world than man, who was, after all, a biological abomination which would ultimately threaten the existence of all life. Therefore the good Brothers began developing a strain of amphibian that would combine the worst ferocity and killer instincts of larger mammals with the ability to move through swamps with great swiftness to strike and avoid retaliation. Combining the natural animals available with each other — through the use of biological mutations and methods discovered in old manuscripts — the Brothers began developing the giant killer frogs of the swamp. These beasts grow to almost two feet in length and come equipped with razor-sharp teeth and talons to attack and rend any prey they are ordered to attack. For years the Brothers hewed out dark caverns beneath their temple to make breeding areas for the frogs. Human victims were offered up to the Lord of the Swamp (a large metal image of a frog set at the front of the temple) through a circular opening at the idol’s feet. This opening actually led down to the great breeding pond beneath the temple where the sacrificial victim was eaten upon arrival. Thus, the frogs were accustomed to human flesh and blood early in their lives and their aggression increased by the fighting between themselves over limited food. A special order, called the Keepers of the Frogs, evolved to tend the beasts in the depths of the Temple. These devoted fellows have become so separated from the main order as to develop a completely different outlook on their duty from that intended. Their original high regard for their charges has, by continued close contact, developed into disdain and even hostility toward them. This was increased when only those Brothers who had failed in their duty were assigned to be keepers, ostensibly to redeem themselves, and consequently they have not retained the high principles of the rest of the order. The Keepers were never questioned about the failure to produce larger killer-frogs, or the decreasing fertility of the ones already bred, since they were not above sending a few frogs to destroy those who might ask such questions. The Keepers have no desire to leave the catacombs and breeding areas since return might prove troublesome without the services of their charges. In further efforts to increase the number of frogs, the Brothers have sought to increase the purchase of slaves for the sacrifices and raise the necessary revenue by trading their handicrafts and medicines with the outside world. These traders are recruited exclusively from among the most loyal brothers and serve for a period of no more than ten years as roving merchants. Since any outside contact with the Temple is to be avoided, these merchants further disguise themselves as traders from “far places” to avoid identification with the Brothers of the Swamp. Always travelling in groups of three or more (who are to spy on each other to insure fealty) they are rewarded at the end of their service with high rank and position within the hierarchy and occasionally receive seats on the ruling council. Trade, however, has always proven to be difficult, due to the efforts required to disguise the destination and area where the Temple is located, as well as the limited value of the local products. It thus came to pass, some onehundred years ago, that the order entered into contracts with men who were outside the law. In return for acquiring articles needed by the Temple, the bandits would receive the protection and sanctuary of the Temple. This has not proved to be the boon that had been hoped for since the location of the temple is now known to those who are not particularly loyal to it, and the raiders have come to dominate the non-religious life in the community in a quite unholy manner. The success of their operations, combined with their intimate knowledge of the swamps, has made them a virtually separate power within the realm of the order. This state of affairs has continued for almost a generation, with the Temple gradually becoming less a holy order devoted to destruction and more of an outlaw Kingdom within the swamp, preying on any passing party.


29 There came one day to the town a strange individual called only Stephen the Rock, who came with three followers. Stephen possessed some very unusual powers and was looking for a place to establish himself. Quickly he became a part of the Temple and was appointed to the council upon the assurance that he and his followers would revive the purpose of the Temple and bring about the completion of its mission in the near future. Certain brothers who objected were cast into the breeding pools, others became keepers, and some were said to have been struck down by lightning. Moving to consolidate the power of the temple over the town, certain loyal troops were hired there (although no one knows how so many loyal types could be found in that teeming nest of vipers). These were trained to a machine-like precision, and when the time was ripe they descended to the town and destroyed the growing power of the bandits. None escaped, and those who were spared were, more often than not, made slaves of the Temple. The greater part of the town was destroyed in the fighting and the two of the three companions of the Rock disappeared. The remaining follower was made the commander of the Temple guards while the good brothers set about rebuilding the town and modifying the surface appearance of the Temple. The latter was then given the Farm of a great Frog of the Swamp, 100’ wide, 200’ long and 80’ high. Much special engineering was supervised by the Rock who asserted that in times of utmost crisis the Great Temple itself would defend the holy order. A large garden now extends from the front of the temple to the open water and is flanked by a massive wall with towers at both ends to protect the temple’s access from the swamp. The temple itself is surrounded by a wide moat, and the old walls have been completely rebuilt with towers at all corners and siege machines installed at regular 25’ intervals along the walls themselves. To the East an area is set aside for the guards and brothers — a special residence where much of the day-to-day work and schooling are now carried out. This also has a gardenlike atmosphere and has a wall covering its approaches as well as separating it from the rougher areas of the main town. A natural cove was also built with flanking towers to protect the waterfront section. This assures access to the open water by the order, even though all other areas of the fortress should fall. In the lower sections of the town where the new guards destroyed the power of the old bandit Chief, the tangle and squalor remain, and here is where most of the workers and raiders still live. Security is provided by groups of soldiers and priests that patrol the area, and there is little of the free-for-all atmosphere of past days. The trade missions still go out, and there is much more emphasis on this trade than in the past, with the temple producing much in the way of luxury goods that are of high quality. How this is done is not known, but new methods of production are said to have been devised by Stephen that verge on the magical by their strange workings. The raiders still go out, but now each mission is accompanied by a detachment from the temple, and outposts have been set up where the raiders off-load their goods far from the actual location of the Temple. These goods are then shipped to the Temple under special escort of the Priests, who insure that if capture is imminent all are killed to conceal the location of the Temple. Thus the Temple’s location is once again a secret, for it is rumored that the site had been changed from the old area it occupied to a new one by some mighty spell. This is doubtful. The power of the Temple has grown manyfold of late, and the border regions now often feel its sting. The keepers have even been reconciled to a point, and the swamps around the place now teem with killer frogs, thus also providing additional security against surprise. THE TOWN AND THE TEMPLE: Description: 1. A few of the quarters set aside for the 100 or more brothers of the order. Each building is a simple 15’ × 15’, single-story structure which has a small courtyard which is shared by an adjoining structure. The interior of the building houses three brothers of the order with places to sleep, small storage areas for personal and religious items, and places to prepare simple meals. Although sparsely furnished, each wooden item is made from the finest mahogany, the sleeping mattresses are of down feathers, the rugs of the finest furs, and all the smaller


30 items are without question made of durable and exquisite semiprecious metal. The gardens and courtyards are alive with singing birds of great color and carefully tended greenery. Along the eastern edge of the grounds are the quarters of the Temple Vestals. These are two story structures of identical dimensions where the twenty or so maidens of the Temple reside. Interior layouts are the same as the quarters of the brothers although the insides are brightly decorated with tapestries and hangings. 2. These are the warehouses where the goods seized by the raiders are first taken and stored for inventorying by the brothers who determine which items will be sold and which retained for local uses. The buildings are of solid stone and some 20’ high with small ventilation slits (less than 6” across) along the roofs under the eaves. A single entrance on the dockyard side measures 10’ × 10’ and is closed by massive iron doors. Guards are on duty before each door at all times. The floors are made of thick (5’ plus) stone and raised off the ground so that observation underneath is possible. There is a small ramp by the door. 3. The guards reserve barracks houses 40 men who are on alert to reinforce endangered areas of the town and answer other special alarms. Otherwise, these are the off duty area for guards. The buildings are some 20’ high surmounted by a 3’ high slitted wall on the roof, entered via a single trap door from the inside. The interior section is made up of sleeping areas and simple food preparation rooms. The windows are 6’ × 3’ and spaced at 5’ intervals along the wall. There are arrangements for heavy shutters that will close these slits from the inside. Access is through a single heavy door of iron 3’ square (located by the no. 3) which can be entered only on one’s hands and knees. Each of these buildings has a cellar (lined by 5’ stone and measuring about 10’ × 10’) where extra food and water are stored, and which has a single 3’ × 3’ entrance. There is a light dart thrower on each roof. 4. The main kitchen and food hall for the brothers’ community where the bulk of the members eat. There is seating for 50 at a time and there are three stories (30’ × 50’ × 30’ high) made of stone. Eating is done on the upper floor where there are windows, as in 3, with a roof surmounted by a low wall (3’ high) slitted for archer fire. The second floor is where the cooking is done and the main floor and cellar is where food and drink, along with other supplies, are found. The main entrance is located along the east wall where a 6’ × 3’ door gives access to a stairway that leads to the upper floors. On the third floor there is a 3’ × 3’ entrance to the guard tower (#6) immediately south of the kitchen. There are commonly a dozen men who work and live in this building. Meals are served all the time as the entire community eats here once or twice a day at about three-hour intervals. 5. The harbor that serves the brothers’ section of the city is quite deep and can accommodate four large merchant vessels at a single time. The two towers that immediately flank the area have a heavy chain that normally extends them. Each also has a light and heavy catapult that bear on the entrance and harbor area. Normally the brothers will have one galley anchored at the entrance with a full crew on board on alert against any surprise attack. 6. The south wall has three towers (#6) and extends for some 250’, separating the southern area of the city from the brothers’ section. The middle tower has an entrance which measures 10’ × 15’ with two iron gratings on each side giving full north-south access; access to the wall and towers is only through the kitchen’s third floor entrance. The main gate is operated from within the middle tower and the interior archway has several arrow slits and spouts for boiling oil to cover this obvious weak point. Each of the towers is 40’ high while the wall itself is some 20’ high. The walls of the tower are some 8’ thick at the base while the walls are 5’ at the base with a walkway atop covered by a 1’ thick wall with arrow slits facing towards the southern part of town. Each tower has one light dart thrower at each corner while the tower by the harbor also contains a heavy catapult which covers the harbor entrance. Each tower also contains a permanent garrison of ten men (with four sleeping spaces and a cooking fire on the third floor, with stores on the other two floors) which is relieved once a day at noon.


31


32 7. The southern part of the city which contains many small wooden structures built at random throughout the area. They range as high as 20’ (although they could be higher, there is a law that says they must be lower than the walls of the city), and some two hundred people eke out existence there. The small wooden docks of the area are where many of the swamp boats are moored. The southern city is populated mostly by dock workers and semi-skilled artisans of the town who are generally a peaceful lot. The western city contains some 400–500 residents, and this is where the raiders and merchants from the outposts come to celebrate their success. The bulk of the community is devoted to the service of the Temple and any excess population is located around the outposts where they will not supply any potential enemy with a third echelon that might rise up in revolt. The soldiers from the garrison, as well as the sailors from the ships, find their entertainment here in the off-duty hours. There is little in the way of practical industry beyond providing the basic needs, the latter being doled out by the Temple on a weekly basis. 8. The large general warehouses and quarters located here are for the keeping of slaves and other common cargo that is deemed too unimportant to be protected by the Temple warehouses. There are generally guards posted here only when cargos are present. The old wooden structures are not regarded as being too secure. The two largest are three stories high. These warehouses have a maximum capacity of 100 slaves plus cargos from five large merchant ships. Usually only the best slaves are brought to the city for work and sacrifice, although there is a constant turnover to prevent a stable slave community being created. Specially gifted craftsmen are generally retained as permanent Temple servants or until their services are no longer required. 9. These are the towers and walls which enclose the garden courtyard in front of the Temple of the Frog. Note the royal docks. The walls are 30’ high with seaward towers being the standard 40’ in height. The walls are over 15’ thick at the base with a walkway on top surmounted by a 4’ high wall (with arrow slits) enclosing the walkway on all sides. The garrison on the dock towers is, again, ten men each with four light dart throwers and one heavy catapult in each tower. The three slips of the docks are each closed with a heavy chain, and only the Temple flagship is ever permanently moored here. The presence of any other ship causes the tower guards to be increased to fifty men each. Reinforcements are drawn from the reserve guards and the Temple garrison itself. The walls have ten men at the southern gates (ten in the outer tower and where the gate is) with 25 men patrolling the entire length of each wall, i.e., 50 total. The northern gates have ten men in each outer tower and twenty on the inner one. Thus, the garrison of the wall consists of 150 men total. The smaller outer towers of the gates have no heavy weapons, only boiling oil, but the inner entrance is guarded by two light catapults loaded with loose stones. The gates are made of iron gratings, while the drawbridges are wooden with metal chains. The bridges are normally raised during periods of inactivity. 10. The Temple gardens are a grass-covered promenade provided for the relaxation and enjoyment of the brothers. The trees are surrounded by low bushes, which are kept quite neatly trimmed. There are no patrols of guards in this area, except along the walls, and the brothers are free to enter and meditate whenever they wish. The two waterways that run through the garden are carefully screened at their inlets and outlets to keep out any dangerous creatures. The small bridges over the canals are made of wood and unable to bear the weight of more than 1,000 pounds. The main cargos to the Temple are brought from the royal docks up the main thoroughfare every morning after dawn to the main gate being escorted by the brothers along the entire route. 11. The outer walls consist of one tower on the water side of the wall and a small widening of the wall on the swampward side of the structure. The large towers have four light dart throwers and a heavy catapult each, with a watch of ten men on duty at all times. The remaining section of wall is covered by another ten men who have a light catapult on the swamp side of the fortifications. These walls are 20’ high with 40’ towers. The men have limited sleeping and eating facilities within the large towers, and the troops are exchanged at noon each day. The east wall tower also covers the northern part of the harbor.


33 12. The Temple of the Frog: The Gate Tower: The outer tower is 30’ high and has a garrison of twenty men who eat and sleep at their posts. It also has two light catapults facing east, two west, and two south to cover the approaches to it. These catapults are easily swung to face any direction. There are another twenty men who have barracks in the tower and who rotate their duty hours with the twenty who are on duty. This is done at the guard captain’s discretion. The outer gate comprises a steel grating which is raised from within the tower. The Main Gate: Covered by a heavy wooden drawbridge supported by chains (with the mechanism being located within the main tower) it always has 30 men on duty with another 30 being located within the tower, off duty. There are four light catapults and two heavy siege engines that cover the main gate here. The main gate has an inner and outer gate of heavy iron and wooden backing. Each is covered with a steel grate some 5’ in front of it. Entrance is only attained by order of the ruling brothers or the Captain of the Guard, who must be present whenever the gate is opened, having one of the two keys to release the mechanism. The Corner Towers: Each has a light catapult at the outer corners, with a heavy catapult located at the center next to the stairs. The inner tower and walls are 40’ high with a drop of 30’ to the courtyard within. Entrance to the towers is only from within the temple itself via an iron door locked from within. Each corner tower has ten men on permanent duty, with another ten men in reserve within each tower. These towers have limited sleeping and eating quarters for the men on duty. Each wall is patrolled by ten men (24 hours per day) with a brother travelling with each patrol while another brother is always on duty at each of the Temple’s towers. The 40’ moat surrounding the walls is teeming with killer frogs and other unpleasant beasts. (Within the first level of the dungeons under the Temple are some 1,000 guards who are always available to relieve the city guards.)


34 Traditionally this role was voted to the most influential member of the “Inner Circle” of the brothers. It is now held by a usurper, Stephen the Rock. This fellow is not from the world of Blackmoor at all, but rather he is an intelligent humanoid from another world/dimension. Originally, he and his compatriots were sent to the area to police it against incursions of similar beings, for it was discovered that a dimensional nexus point existed in this area that allowed such possibilities. He assumed leadership of the Temple in order to have a base of power, for he now seeks glory and personal gain, with as little personal risk as possible. When the team was intact this self-seeking would have been checked, but with the death of all but the creature now posing as the commander of the guards, loyal to the High Priest and also power-oriented, most restraints are gone. Once each year the High Priest must report to a hovering satellite station, giving details of what has transpired below, and turning over any powerful “artifacts” taken during the previous time period. Failure to turn over sufficient loot will certainly result in his recall/trial/ extinction — as will, in fact, the discovery of just what has been going on below! So far the High Priest has managed to cloak his activities (as well as the death of the other team members) so as to avoid such unpleasantness. Thus, this being is frantically attempting to make his power such as to be able to defy any attempt at his recall should his duplicity be discovered. At present the High Priest possesses a complete set of battle armor, a mobile medical kit, and a communications module. He has modified the Temple so that there is a complete set of alarms to warn of intruders and established identification rings to allow him to direct and control all movement. He has genetically modified the killer frogs to begin breeding frogmen and constructed the control ring to maintain his control ability over them. Other treasures have been brought to him and he has mastered their uses. He has no magical abilities of his own but when in the battle armor he is immune to many things. Battle Armor: An ordinary appearing suit of mail endows the wearer with +3 on defense and saving throws. It enables the wearer also to move at 12” per turn and there is no fatigue factor. Also, upon donning this armor the wearer receives an 18 (00) strength and an 18 dexterity. It provides complete protection against all energy type weapons including fireballs, lightning, cold, etc., and against charming, hypnosis, draining life levels, and any spells which act upon the wearer physically (polymorph, decay, etc.). This armor puts the bearer in instant communication with all of the other ring wearers. It also allows the user to fly and to walk underneath water. Damage can only be inflicted through conventional attacks and it can take 60 hit points before it will cease to function. Lastly, it resists fire on the same basis as a fire resistance ring. Sword: +3 in combat, this sword may fire up to six (20 point) lightning bolts a day. It can detect metal and the presence of any living being within 100 feet. It also adds a 20% chance of opponent’s weapons breaking while involved in melee, this sword being unbreakable. Shield: +3 in standard combat, it can cast a 10’ ring of invisibility and provide a shield against all mental attacks, energy attacks, and magical and/or clerical spells within the same 10’ radius. This shield can be specifically set, at the exclusion of the other features, to repel spell attacks back upon the attacker. The Medical Kit: Short of completely being hacked to pieces or otherwise reduced to a jigsaw puzzle, the medical kit can put a creature back together better than before (one day recovery per point of damage, repair with double that for death and revivification). It had a special genetic modification for producing frogmen, but this has since been disassembled. It can handle up to four patients at one time and also produces vaccines for prevention of communicable diseases and inoculates persons as fast as they can walk the patients through. It is a cube of approximately 10’ per side and very easily moved if its anti-gravity unit is turned on.


35 Communications Module: Simply an interstellar radio but with entertainment and instructional modules that can be used to enliven drab days of the High Priest. It features a single seat surrounded by what seems to be an egg (which, when sealed, provides a self-contained environment). The armor, sword, shield and medical kit will all fit inside. Its distinctive feature is the ability to instantly teleport itself anywhere on the planet, or even to the scout craft. It can carry only one person comfortably but two may be squeezed in. It teleports by voice command as it is programmed for all languages and can also act as a translator. It also can be placed on automatic for further convenience. The Rings: The first of these rings gives complete control of the killer frogs and frogmen to the Chief of the Keepers. In addition to these characteristics, the ring controls all warm-blooded animals and beasts and can be specifically tuned to control those cold-blooded ones also. In this case the killer frogs and frogmen can both be controlled due to their very similar backgrounds. There is only one of these rings. Keeper’s Rings: These are able to control only killer frogs and frogmen. They also allow admittance to areas where Keeper’s Rings will give specific admittance. The power is of limited duration, giving only six turns of protection against the killer frogs or frogmen. The Head Keeper’s ring or non-usage for 24 hours recharges these rings. Temple Guards’ Rings: Commander’s Ring: This gives access to all areas of the Temple where other rings render admittance. The only areas that cannot be entered are those where the High Priest’s Ring is required. This ring commands the obedience of all others who wear Officer’s or Sergeant’s Rings, should they be within 100’ (and can hear the command) when a command is issued. It does not give immunity against the killer frogs but will control the frogmen so that they will not attack (unless their hatchery is disturbed, whereupon they turn berserk against everyone anyway!). Officer’s Rings: These command instant obedience by all Sergeant’s Rings and give admittance to those areas requiring an Officer’s Ring to enter. Should there be contradicting orders by one or more officers, the Commander’s Ring is contacted (it will glow a red light signal) for clarification. Should this not be possible, then the sergeants are, on the next turn, given freedom to act on their own initiative. There are twelve of these rings. Sergeant’s Rings: These give the sergeants admittance to all areas requiring their presence. They will also give contact to any Officer’s Ring in time of emergencies. The rings do not give control of the troops under the sergeant’s command to him but as long as the sergeant is still present (alive and with the ring) they will never check morale. The Chief High Priest’s Ring: This ring will give admittance to the wearer, without question, to any area of the Temple. Its presence will require all lesser ring wearers to render instant obedience to the bearer. All rings will become communication devices (non-specific broadcast effect) in such an event. Priest Rings: These are required for admittance to those areas requiring them and will give obedience to the wearer by all lesser ones. Acolyte Rings: These are for brothers outside the inner circle and must be worn to gain admittance to the Temple. Their presence will raise the morale of personnel by 10%.


36 The Rings In General: A higher ring always has the characteristics of all lesser rings of that class but only the High Priest’s Ring has all of the combined powers of each ring. Generally the rings are needed for admittance to most areas of the Temple and town. City walls and gates require officer or priest rings for admittance at any time, and one of the nine rings must be worn during regular hours. Entrance to the Temple garden requires the wearing of any temple ring, while the walls surrounding the garden require the wearing of only a Sergeant’s or Priest’s Ring. The main Temple Gate requires the presence of an Officer’s or Priest’s Ring to gain access to. Walls and outer grounds of the Temple require only a temple ring, but all such movements are automatically registered with the High Priest. Temples and Dungeons are as outlined in their descriptions (pretty much open) but Keepers are needed to gain entry to the 2nd level and only Keeper’s Rings (or that of the High Priest) will allow one to pass out through the underground stream. If a Ring is not being worn it has no special properties. The Ground Floor of the Temple of the Frog: Main Entrance: (This is the only ground floor entrance into the building, secret or otherwise.) Ten temple guards along with a member of the Inner Circle and an acolyte are always on duty. During services, when the general public is admitted, there are fifty guards on duty with ten acolytes, and two members of the Circle. At night the huge 30’ × 30’ iron doors are closed and triple-barred using machinery emplaced to the right and left of the doors. It takes the rings of two priests and two officers working at the same time to open the doors in the morning. The Temple walls are from 5’-15’ thick (specially treated stone that is like metal of the highest quality). Main Corridor and Chapel: The main corridor is 60’ wide and extends some 80’ before it enters the chapel area. It is flanked at 10’ intervals by stone pillars 3–4’ across (set 10’ out from the side walls). On either side are located some of the study and research rooms of the priesthood. The chapel has pew space for 300 persons on the ground floor alone and standing room for several hundred more. There are twenty pews and seating is done by corps of acolytes who are responsible for seating everyone according to the amount of work those particular persons have done for the Temple. Thus, those of high rank, having done services for the Temple or those that have had past honors heaped upon them get the better seating arrangement. At the very front of the chapel is the great pit of sacrifice where the almost daily ritual of feeding the frogs is undertaken. TABLE OF RINGS


37 Measuring some 20’ across, its entrance is located at the top of a 10’ series of tiers, each of which is a 2’ step. The tiers are of green stone and the upper part of the Pit itself is wrought in gold leaf (worth about 30,000 gold). There is a movable pulpit/plug for the sacrificial opening from which the sermons are delivered. The latter is raised (Priest and all) by a levitation mechanism at the start of the sacrifice, to a point 20–30’ above the pit and then lowered at the end of the sacrificial ritual. The pulpit is made from precious metal and studded with jewels (worth 100,000 gold) and equipped with “magical” spotlights to enhance its beauty and mystery. The pews right and left of the pulpit are reserved for officers and priests. Behind the pit is a huge tapestry that portrays the eventual doom of man at the hands of the priests of the Temple, with the emphasis on the worthlessness of human life. Rooms: The stairway west of the main entrance leads to the second level where there are additional seating areas. During general services guards are stationed along here at regular intervals and all the ground floor rooms are locked and secured until after the services are completed. Room 1: This contains the main library of the Temple with over 10,000 volumes in every conceivable tongue (most of which are unknown). This is by far the largest library in the area and may have as much as 10% of all the world’s known books. These books are ranked in cases that extend 20’ to the ceiling of this room. Each case is specially built and sealed with an eye to prevent the start of a fire and its spread to the precious volumes. There are always 2–8 acolytes and a priest on duty here to administer the library and help other brothers to do their research. The value of the books, scrolls, and maps stored here is beyond reckoning. There is a single guard stationed at each of the two outer doors. Room 2: Is the head librarian’s office, and one of the three research rooms where a particular aspect of man’s knowledge is being examined in detail. An acolyte is usually stationed in this room (as in rooms 3 and 4) to help the other brothers do their work. The room has three desks and several chairs piled high with the clutter of the true researcher. Room 3: Similar to room 2 but there is a sergeant on duty at the door leading into the chapel area. Room 4: This is the head librarian’s research area where there are a number of special files kept for treasure maps and the like. There may be a limited number (1–4) that are newly added that are still unclaimed, but they will lay amidst the others (only the librarian knowing for sure which are which). In the northwest corner there is a false door that leads to a small underground vault (between the ground floor and 1st dungeon level) where three special treasure maps are kept. Only the Priest’s Ring will gain normal admittance (others will have to break in and set off alarms). Each map leads to a different monster/treasure combination. 1. Leads to a giant’s den somewhere in the swamp. Treasure is: 58,000 gold buried amongst some rubble. 2. Leads to a cache of 50 gems, 19 pieces of jewelry, 10,000 gold and 10,000 silver. This is located in the Land of the Red Coven. 3. This leads to a scroll of three spells, a potion of growth (12 doses), a magic sword +1/+3 vs. Trolls/Clerics, a spear +2 and a +3 shield and a ×5 shield held in a wizard’s tower to the north. There is also a secret door in the north wall that leads to a passage going to the area just behind the pit. The presiding priest enters the pulpit (seeming to appear from nowhere) while an acolyte operates the levitation mechanism by the door. It is also possible to catch sacrificial victims after they have been seemingly flung into the pit by the priest. It is also possible to make secret sacrifices from this entrance. These strange procedures are usually done in connection with seeming miracles of victims being spared by the frogs to serve the Temple (and with beautiful young maidens . . .).


38 Room 5: This is where the great wind pipe organ of the Temple is located. It fills the room with its parts. Buried in its heart is an alternate command station (only the High Priest’s Ring will allow manual override). There is also another stairway that leads to the 2nd level of the Temple. There are always two guards and an acolyte on duty here. This organ is the only musical instrument of its kind still in existence and being so, is worth several hundred thousand in gold. It also weighs about ten tons and will fill a cargo ship (or twenty carts) easily. Any person so attempting to take apart or put this instrument back together will either have to find the only priest who knows how to, or decipher the cryptic manual on artifacts found amongst the volumes in the Library. Rooms 6 and 7: These are meditation rooms where the brothers come. There are a few plain furnishings, but otherwise are empty. Room 8: This is the office of the High Priest’s spokesman (1st priest) and where the High Priest will hold interviews with lesser personages. It is also a typical office with a sergeant on duty at each of the two doors. Room 9: Is the main office of the High Priest which only he and the guard commander can enter. The room, having iron doors, is a rather typical office. Room 10: Is the secret control area of the High Priest where all of his special loot is concealed. Also present is a control room for operating the Temple when it turns into a real frog (created by optical illusion where it seemingly leaps away when it actually shifts into a parallel time area until it “phases back” and the frog seems to leap back into position out of the swamp mists!). This allows the priests time to determine a course of action. The first level of the dungeon also shifts with the Temple but leaves the second level completely sealed off from the surface (only exit is then by the stream). Treasures: A staff of withering, crystal ball with e.s.p., dancing sword, cloak of eyes, a gem of seeing, along with a scroll of protection from magic, potions of fire resistance and clairaudience (actually poison) and a Tome of Leadership and Influence. The only entrance is from the 2nd level via a secret door behind the balcony pews leading to a down staircase (only the High Priest’s Ring will give access). It leads to a secret door in the southeast wall. Entering, the intruder will pass directly over a sliding chute that leads to the frog pond. At the opposite end of the room is another pit directly in front of the area where the treasure is stored in a wall cabinet. Opening the cabinet without the ring will drop the trespasser to the frog pond below. Second Floor: There is seating for about 300 persons on this level. Room 1: This is the robing room where the choir robes, hymnals and instruments are stored for the acolytes. Room 2: Is a landing for the stairs that lead to the third floor. Room 3: Is the entrance hall for those using the private stairs from the organ room. Here persons destined for the booths above are brought here and kept in readiness to transfer to the boxes. They are provided with special hooded garments. Rooms 4–9: Are confessionals (cells) where persons can see the Temple below them. At times of special services they are altered into private viewing boxes for distinguished visitors that no one is to observe. “X” marks the secret location of the entrance to the High Priest’s secret room. This is located behind the continuation of the great tapestry. By use of wooden railings this spot is hidden from view from the rest of the Temple, and any observer must be within 10’ of it to see anyone enter.


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40 Third Floor: There is seating for about 200 persons in this area. It directly overlooks the main sacrificial area and is 30’ above the main floor. Rooms 1 & 6: Lead to the observation platforms in the Eyes of the Frog (the great glass hemispheres that surmount the Temple). They are used primarily for meditation. There are cushioned chairs available here for the comfort of visitors. Doors can be locked from within and an acolyte is needed for admission. Rooms 2 & 5: Are the manufacturing areas of the Temple where special machines aid in turning out special devices and goods of high value, these machines having the ability to take worthless material and transform it into valuable goods. (The glass beads and dime-store trinkets are big sellers with the natives and upper nobility that cannot recognize their true worthlessness.) The machines are too large and complex to move. Each is run by an acolyte and only those directly involved in manufacturing are admitted. Room 3: Is the headquarters of the traders sent out to sell the junk and is also the office of the chief of accounting. Hidden in this desk are 600 pieces of platinum that he has embezzled. (The High Priest knows about it but does not seem to care.) Room 4: Is the office of the Commander of the palace guard where he goes to run the security arrangements in the Temple. Within are the master alarms for the palace, so that the exact location of trouble can be registered and personnel sent to counter the intrusion. From here he can communicate, via a desk communicator, with other officers and sergeants under his command. There is always an officer and two sergeants on duty in this room and only the rings worn by the High Priest Commander of the Guard or the Chief Keeper will gain admittance. (No one is aware that the latter has such a privilege, and it has not been used for many years.) Just south of the stairway is a balcony that is the mouth of the frog. It gives a breathtaking view of the Temple gardens and is enclosed by an unframed glass window (the largest in the world) which is virtually unbreakable. This window can be raised only by the High Priest or the Commander. There are landing points for Rocs along the outside edge (but admittance can only be gained by using the Rings). First Level of the Dungeon: Barracks Rooms: (Barracks show the maximum number of soldiers which can be stationed there.) Each of these rooms has one bunk (two tier) 3’ wide × 7’ long, with a foot locker located at the foot of the bunk. Bunks are arranged along the walls. The number of soldiers in the room at any given time will vary from 30–80% of its total capacity. Any high level special fighter is considered to be armed/armored as that of a bandit (leather armor, swords, daggers, etc.). All men are as heavy infantry with either leather and shield and/or studded leather and shield with either swords or spears. 10% of the total force of all of the barracks is considered bow armed and these are usually on duty in the city towers because of this specialty. These soldiers carry gold (1–12 each) and on a 91–00% have something of special value on their person or in their foot locker. Double chances for all higher levels giving appropriate treasure commensurate and equal to their level. Pool of the Frog: A downward sloping area, very slippery, leading to the next level down. Entrance into the area marked DOWN will cause the party to slide down the ramp to the next level, only persons of an 18 dexterity having a 50% chance of not falling, being able to slow their descent. Southern Down: This leads to the underground stream below. Entrance into the area marked Down will mean an automatic slide to this area. Room 1: Sealed in by walls 5’ thick, it can only be entered via the secret passage on the northeast wall. Secret stairs in the southwest corner lead to the northeast corner of room 16 on the 2nd level. A secret passage in the southern part of the west wall connects with room 7 on the 1st level.


41 Occupant: Three Medusae inhabit this room each taking 16,14, and 13 hit points respectively. Treasure: 2,000 gold and five gems valued at 1,000 gold each hidden behind a tapestry in the northwest wall in a recess. History: These Medusa were imprisoned here, but have, in the course of the last hundred years, dug their way to this room and enlarged their area of influence and operation. Since they are in all respects trapped here they wait to get out and attack the Brothers of the Frog, whom they hate! There are other Medusa on the second level also who share the same opinion of the brothers (or anyone in general that enters their sphere of influence). There is a slight possibility that if the intruders are not in league with the Temple that the Medusa will attempt a joint venture against the Brothers. Room 2: Entered via a secret passage to the northeast, this room is a secret gambling hall for the sergeants of the Temple guards. From 2–16 sergeants may be there playing cards or dice. There is always one sergeant guarding the door from the inside and all intruders will be killed instantly to protect the secret. Every sergeant will protect the secret hall, short of taking their own lives. New parties of sergeants (1–4) will reinforce the area when the Temple is on alert or being attacked, and there will be no gambling until the emergency is eradicated. Extensive absences by numbers of the sergeants will bring a search party (ten times the missing amount) to make sure everything is all right. Treasure: (Club Fund) 5,000 silver, 4,000 copper, 750 gold, and 16 gems worth 500 gold each. The gems are mounted in Rings of a military motif. Room 3: This is the officer’s lounge, which is usually empty because of the strict Temple security which requires continued presence and activity by the officers. Although empty most of the time, they have nine gargoyles mounted as statues along the western and southern walls which are released from their temporal stasis if anyone enters the room without a Priest or Officer of the Temple. They cannot leave the room and will attempt to kill anyone so violating it. They will lurk about after their duty is performed until a Priest comes down to put them back into their imprisonment. This feat can be accomplished by only four of the priesthood and its procedure is outlined in a book found in the library. Treasure: Sixteen silver chains (150 gold value) which allow the wearers thereof to pass through many of the traps located throughout the Temple (90% of the time). These chains belong to the Temple guards and are stored here for safekeeping. Room 4: (Armory) 10 first level guards are on duty outside of this room with 2 first levels inside who are relieved every 4th hour. A Sergeant’s Ring is needed to attain access to this room for many and various types of weapons and munitions are contained herein. In times of emergency the guard is trebled and two sergeants are also stationed here. Room 5: (Officer’s Club) This room is also considered to be secret and visited only by officers although, unbeknownst to the members, the sergeants know about its location. Only Officer’s Rings will allow entrance. Guards in the barracks have a “loyal” sergeant who keeps an eye on the room and checks it out during alarms and searches. There are 2–8 officers present (except during alarms, etc.) and more will visit, normally, at night. Every hour 1–4 officers may arrive or leave. Treasure: (Club Fund) 22 gem-mounted rings worth 500 gold (×10), 1,000 gold (×10), and 5,000 gold (×2), respectively. Room 6: (Private’s Club) There are always soldiers present here (10–60), each having from 1–6 gold each. The club fund consists of 6,000 silver pieces and a levitation potion behind a picture of a giant killer frog. Six 100 gold value gems are hidden in a wall slot behind a picture of a nude young lady, of which there are six pictures of this type in the room. The sergeants know about the treasure and don’t care. Any fights will bring in soldiers from nearby barracks and the word of such a fight will reach the officer’s ears not very much later.


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43 Room 7: (Company Office) This contains two desks and chairs, a locked foot locker, and an old crypt in the walls of the room which contains five skeletons of 2 hit dice that have armor class 7 and move 6” per turn. These will come out only if directly disturbed or the foot locker is opened by anyone but an officer/priest ring-wearer. Treasure: The company fund consists of 27 unmounted gems, all of which are worth 500 in gold. (Soldiers will fight as berserkers if they catch up to the ones who robbed them!) Room 8: (General Headquarters) There are always 1–3 Officers (8th level), 2–8 Sergeants (5th level), and 3–12 soldiers on duty here at all times. This room contains a pair of desks and chairs and two chests. Room 9: (Company Office) This room has two chairs and desks plus three foot chests. The walls contain another old crypt as per 7 but with this one having 23 four hit-point skeletons which animate if the chests are disturbed by a person that is not an officer or priest with the appropriate ring. Treasure: 1st chest: 3,000 platinum pieces 2nd chest: 4,000 gold and a forgotten Rod of Lordly Might. 3rd chest: Personal records on all of the soldiers (no goodies!) Room 10: (Cadre Room) The contents of this untreasured room are small indeed consisting only of one small desk, chair, and box. The north wall contains a secret door requiring a Priest Ring to open which leads to the rat warrens where 200 rats live with 10–100 being right behind the door to attack anyone so foolish to open it. They cannot leave the room, but will stay until a priest arrives to drive them back to their warrens. These are Giant rats! Second Level of the Dungeon: (Note: Rooms 5, 7, 9–13, 17, 19, and 20 are all store rooms containing food to withstand a siege.) Room 1: The Chief of the Keepers of the Frogs lives here. He is a 9th-level magic-user and possesses a Ring of Animal Control. He has six Thaumaturgist assistants (each of which have rings to control the killer frogs). The Keeper takes 24 hit points and his servants take 13, 10, 10, 9, 17, and 15 points respectively. The room contains seven beds, three desks, eight chests with garments and, in the center, a giant stone frog on a pedestal. There is a secret compartment where the Keeper’s treasure is hidden and where three persons may fit. There is a cook-fire in a niche on the eastern wall. Treasure: 16,000 gold, thirteen gems of 1,000 gold piece value each, and 14 pieces of 300–1,800 gold piece value jewelry. Room 2: The door in the north wall of this room leads to a down staircase which in turn leads to the underground stream. In the vicinity of the staircase and room lurk four ghouls that live off the remains of the sacrifices from the breeding pool. They each wear a Ring of protection against killer frogs, each of these rings having a duration of six turns and then having to recharge for one full day. These ghouls take 10 hit points each and otherwise function as those ghouls outlined in Book II. There is always a 25% chance that these ghouls are off wandering and an equal 25% chance that they will return on any given turn. Treasure: Scattered amidst the piles of trash are 5,000 copper, 3,000 silver and 2,000 gold pieces. The rings they wear are worth 100 gold each. (Note: The secret passages in the west wall lead to room 16 and both can only be detected and opened by magic. They will open when entered from the east and will close immediately unless braced open.) Room 3: This is the nesting area for the twelve giant lizards. These lizards stay in their room and travel only along the dotted line that leads to the stream where they feed upon killed frogs and wandering rats. When adventurers cross or travel along this route there is a 1 in 6 chance of encountering 1–4 lizards. There is a 60% chance that 1–12 lizards will be found within the room.


44 Room 4: This room contains a tribe of ten trolls that also prey on the frogs, laying in wait for them beneath the three bridges north of their room. There is a 1 in 6 chance that when entering passages marked with a dashed line or when crossing one of the bridges that 1–3 trolls will be encountered. Any fighting will bring an additional 1–3 trolls every turn the fight exists. These trolls fight as Hill Giants with their normal regenerative capabilities. (The small room north of 4 contains old shovels, picks, hammers, etc.) Treasure: (Located in the small room connected to room 14 to the northeast) 4,000 gold and 4 gems set in four non-magical rings. Room 6: This is where more Keepers of the Frogs live (three Thaumaturgists). These 5th-level magic-users each wear a Ring of Killer Frog Control, worth 1,200 gold pieces each. They take 15, 11, and 9 hit points respectively. Their treasure is located in a large padlocked box set in the center of the room. They can summon frogs from the breeding pond as well as contact the Keepers in Room 1. Treasure: 6,000 silver and 21 rolls for gems, adding 10% to each roll. The 15-point Keeper has a magical sword, the 11-point Keeper a Ring of Three Wishes, and the 9-point Keeper a Ring of Water Walking. Room 8: Contains four trolls who prey upon wandering rats and snakes in the area. They fight as ogres and take 18–20 hit points each. These trolls will be found along the passageway leading to Rooms 9–11 as well as the long passageway coming in from the east. Any adventurer that crosses this area has a 1 in 3 chance of meeting 1–4 trolls. One troll will appear for every turn of fighting and/or noise should this occur. Treasure: Located in a sack in the far corner of the room among six other sacks which contain junk is 3,000 gold pieces.


45 Room 14: Contains six (5-die) giant snakes. They prey upon the giant rats and trolls which enter the corridors leading to rooms 12–15. Room 15: Contains within one large ochre jelly which takes 38 hit points. It resides only in this room and cleans up this section of the dungeon when no other creatures are about. There is a 1 in 10 chance of encountering it outside of its room in the adjacent hallways leading to rooms 8–16. Room 16: Contains another two Medusa, each taking 13 and 15 hit points respectively. There is a secret passage leading to room 1 on the First level in the northeast corner. There is also another secret passage in the east wall that will only open when entered from the east and a secret passage in the north wall that leads to the stream. The four sub-sections of these rooms are cells where the Medusa were originally imprisoned. The Medusa now use them for any persons falling into their hands as well as for personal quarters. There is an enchantment on the door to the south that will open only for Priest Rings. A similar enchantment rests upon the door 20’ further south. Treasure: Among the four cells it consists of 11,000 gold pieces and thirteen base 50 gems. Located on the strong Medusa is a scroll of three spells being Stone-Flesh, Rock-Mud and Passwall. Room 18: This room holds 12 2nd-level fighter/personal guards for the Keepers of the Frog. They take 3–5 hit points each and are armored in chain & shield and well practiced with the bow (add 10% to chances of hitting), and sword (add 5% to hit probabilities). When adventurers enter this section (east of the pond and north of the underground stream) there is a 1 in 4 chance that 2–12 of these guards will be encountered each turn. They will always have one of the Keepers leading them and they will attempt to call the others to combat, the latter arriving within one turn. They wear the rings that give them a six turn protection against the frogs. Their room contains six bunks, eight chests, and a fireplace located in the northeast corner. The chests contain 10–80 gold pieces each and beneath the cook fire there is a loose slab in the floor where underneath in a niche is where the bulk of the treasure is kept. Treasure: 3,000 silver and 7,000 gold pieces, 15 (roll for) gems and 12 pieces of 1,000– 6,000 gold piece value each jewelry. This is the main treasure of the Keepers. The Breeding Pond: There are an estimated 1,100–1,200 killer frogs here. These frogs have armor class 8, take 3 hit points each and move 12” per turn in water and 9” per turn on land. Areas marked “H” are the main areas with 50–100 frogs in each separate area. They live off offerings delivered via the chute at the north end of the pond, as well as using the underwater stream along the southern edge of the hatching ground to swim out into the moat around the Temple to feed there. Each turn spent by intruders within the hatching grounds will draw 3–18 killer frogs. Each subsequent turn an additional 3–18 frogs will arrive. When the frogs are reacting to an intrusion, any area outside those marked “H” will draw 1–10 frogs per turn, with an additional 1–10 each and every subsequent turn. Even if the party is equipped with frog controlling and protection devices, other intrusions will count at the reduced rate. Intrusions into the “H” areas will draw all frogs that are currently involved elsewhere. The destruction of an egg area will cause all frogs to fight at double value for 2–12 melee rounds after which all will withdraw to the pond and submerge. (Note that frogs underwater are immune to gases and cloudkill attacks.) Island: (Located in the Breeding Pond) This is the island of the Frog People, who have been bred by the new rulers of the Temple of the Frog to supply a more powerful force with which to subdue the world. These beasts have the same characteristics as Mermen but can only stay submerged for 4–6 hours and must soak their bodies once a day for at least two hours or lose (permanently) one hit die in points. Any further delays in their “soakings” will cause eventual death. Damage can be gained back by spending double the normal amount of time required. They are armed with the traditional net and trident. They are subject to control by the High Priest or the Chief Keeper or others similarly equipped. Otherwise they will act independently without regard for human life tending to leave the frogs well alone. There are at this time 240


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47 such abominations on the island. Unless summoned, or directly molested, they will confine themselves to these areas. There are 8 frogmen with double strength and hit point values, each of these also having +2 on saving throws and defensive capabilities. There are 5 frogmen with triple values and +3 on saving throws and defense, and 2 frogmen with quadruple capabilities and +4 to saving throws and defense! Treasure: (The big one folks!) One Girdle of Frost Giant Strength Potion of Gaseous Form (poison!) A map to a Staff of Withering in the main temple above Two potions of Water Breathing A scroll of 1 spell (Polymorph Self)


48 UNDERWATER ADVENTURES SETUP: Mythology is replete with tales of sunken cities, ships laden with loot and the like. Every warm blooded adventurer dreams of finding Mu, Lemuria, Atlantis or some such similar treasuretrove. But no such undertaking is done lightly; the perils of the deep are varied and deadly. The following data is presented to allow the incorporation of these possibilities with existing dry-land campaigns. Just how it is blended is left to the discretion of the referee. This is merely a presentation of data to enable just such an occurrence. One thing to keep in mind is that any but magic-users will find it extremely hard to function (m-u have access to spells that enable them to breathe water, change their form, etc.). There are any number of ways to circumvent these obstacles. A few suggestions are: potions that allow water breathing, or give the consumer ‘fishy’ attributes; a type of seaweed that once ingested enables a character to function in water; helms of water breathing, etc. To entice the players into the water is the easiest part; simply leave maps, create legends (Legend Lore), or sprinkle in clues in the form of bizarre artifacts. Adventurers are notoriously gullible and easily duped or led astray. EFFECTS OF WATER: When in water, swimming, only normal moves may be made. No armor heavier than leather may be worn, and both hands must be unencumbered. Also, only 25% of the normal weight allowance may be carried. It is possible to walk on the bottom, provided the characters don’t need to surface for air (able to breathe water, have helm, etc.). While underwater, no missile weapons except specially prepared crossbows (at three to five times normal price) will function. All weapons have their effectiveness reduced by 50%, except for tridents. If carried underwater in hopes of finding somewhere to use them (inside an enclosed city, air bubble, etc.), normal missile weapons must be kept dry. Weapons that utilize electrical discharges affect the entire area in which they are used. (Ex. — a lightning bolt would electrocute any thing in range.) It is possible to use such a weapon if the firer is in air pocket of some sort firing out into the water. All weapons utilizing fire are 100% ineffective underwater (including fireballs). Remember that while swimming that the adventurers are vulnerable to attack from all angles: up, down, etc. TRIDENTS: Tridents prove to be quite popular underwater because they inflict twice the damage of an ordinary spear. The barbed tips allow it to remain in the victim, thus hindering its movements. A popular tactic is to affix a small loop to go over the wrist. This enables the wielder to hang on to it after it is imbedded, thus preventing the target from escaping. Most tridents are poisoned or treated with a paralyzing agent, eliminating the necessity of drawing a great deal of blood. Nets are also quite useful. SETTING UP THE TERRAIN: There are several types of peculiar terrain that should be included, such as jumbled rocks, smooth sand, sea canyon walls, reefs, as well as those explained following. Underwater terrain is dominated by weeds, while most of the population resides in deep chasms, dark caves, drowned cities, sunken treasure ships and the like. All this requires some different considerations than those necessary when conducting dry land adventures, because swimming allows much more freedom of movement, even though movement rates are reduced 50%. SEA GRASS: Less than one foot tall, does not affect movement or visibility (normal underwater vision is 100’ — barring cloudy water). Provides cover for the smaller life-forms.


49 MEDIUM SEAWEED: Reduces vision to 30’, movement by 25%. Can hide small gullies by filling them. HEAVY SEAWEED: Blocks vision beyond 10’, further reduces movement by 50%. Staying at the top will cause you to miss any hidden caves, while allowing monsters to catch you unawares. SAND: This is where rays hide and make their homes. Usually interspersed with treacherous mud. FANTASTIC TERRAIN TYPES: Just as with dry land adventures, not all that meets the eye is kosher. Tricks for the unwary should be included to keep the party wary. Illusion walls, false sea floors, phantasmal images of sunken ships and magically shifted terrain are all recommended. It should also be remembered that all seaweeds are not beneficial. Underwater Encounter Matrix 01–09 Mermen 10–13 Giant Crabs 14–17 Giant Octopi 18–21 Giant Squid 22–26 Giant Leech 27–28 Elasmosaurus 29–30 Mosasaurus 31–32 Plesiosaurus 33–39 Giant Shark 40–41 Whale 42–45 Giant Eel 46–51 Lamprey 52–55 Sea Horse 56–59 Portuguese Man-o-War 60–64 Dolphins 65–66 Aquatic Elves 67 Pungi Ray 68 Manta Ray 69–72 Water Spiders 73–80 Weed Eels 81–85 Sahuagin 86–88 Ixitxachitl 89–91 Locathah 92 Morkoth 93–00 Masher Sailing Encounter Matrix 01–15 Mermen 16–22 Giant Octopi 23–30 Giant Squid 31–36 Elasmosaurus 37–43 Mosasaurus 44–50 Plesiosaurus 51–65 Whale 66–75 Aquatic Elves 76–90* Sahuagin 91–00 Locathah * = only at night or dim light


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